Brayan Leon nets brace as Sundowns edge Pirates | OneFootball

Leon scores twice to hand Downs victory over Bucs

Photo: Mamelodi Sundowns @ X

Mamelodi Sundowns secured a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Orlando Pirates in their top-of-the-table Betway Premiership clash at FNB Stadium on Wednesday evening.

The Buccaneers attempted to draw first blood in the opening exchanges as Deon Hotto looked to pounce on a blunder from Grant Kekana, but Ronwen Williams was equal to the task with an acrobatic save.

Pirates came close again moments later following a delightful ball into the box from Oswin Appollis, but Yanela Mbuthuma's header was direct to the Masandawana shot-stopper.

Brayan Leon made the Soweto giants rue their missed chances, connecting with an inviting lobbed ball from Nuno Santos to beat Sipho Chaine at the far post in the 37th minute.

It didn't take long for the Colombian striker to complete his brace, as he pounced on a low drilled defence splitting cross from Aubrey Modiba in the 41st minute.

Abdeslam Ouaddou's men swiftly pulled one back in the second half as Patrick Maswanganyi scored with a deflected shot in the 46th minute to make up for his causality in the Downs box in the first stanza.

Teboho Mokoena unleashed his trademark long-range strike in the hour mark, with Chaine able to save, before Khulumani Ndamane rattled the crossbar five minutes later.

Miguel Cardoso's men, who remain second, walked away with the maximum points, and moved three points behind log leaders Pirates, who have 38 points having played one game more.