Mamelodi Sundowns moved within touching distance of the DStv Premiership title following a 3-0 victory over TS Galaxy on Monday evening.
Themba Zwane, Peter Shalulile were brought back in by Masandawana as Zuko Mdunyelwa, Sphelele Mkhulise, Matias Esquivel and Tashreeq Matthews also earned recalls, while Bernard Parker was back in the squad for the first time since breaking his leg against Sundowns last year.
After a slow start, Masandawana hit the opening around the half-hour mark when Zwane got out on the right and crossed for Shalulile to end a ten-match goalless streak.
The intensity from the host dropped a bit and allowed the Rockets to get forward a lot more and play balls in the wide channels but lacked efficiency.
Shalulile added a second goal a little past the half-hour mark when he broke in-between the defensive lines to feed on a back-heel pass from Zwane to finish calmly into the bottom corner.
Galaxy looked keen to reduce the tally shortly after the break and were inches away from doing so when Samir Nurkovic mis-timed a telling delivery to snap off target.
Mkhulise was extremely close to open his league account for the season through a half-volley at the near post, but he didn’t unsettle Fabrice Ntwari who flapped away.
Ten minutes after the break, coach Rulani Mokwena made a double change as Matthews and Esquivel made way for Thembinkosi Lorch and Neo Maema.
Sundowns did put the clash to bed midway through the second stanza when Lorch picked up a layoff from Zwane and drilled a hard-and-low shot in the bottom-corner.
The Rockets were reduced to ten players in the closing stages after Orebotse Mongae got a straight red card for a rough challenge on Bongani Zungu.
With time running out, Sundowns ran down the clock as the Rockets introduced Parker for the first time since October in the place of Nurkovic.
Parker got a chance to reduce the deficit after they won a penalty from a foul by Thapelo Morena, but Ronwen Williams made a save and 3-0 it finished to the host.
Confirmed line-ups:
Mamelodi Sundowns: Williams, Mdunyelwa, Mashego, Kekana, Lebusa, Aubaas, Mkhulise, Zwane, Esquivel, Matthews, Shalulile
Subs: February, Mvala, Zungu, Mudau, Modiba, Maema, Nku, Lorch, Morena
TS Galaxy: Ntwari, Sanoka, M.Mahlangu, Munyai, Kabini, Mbunjana, Mvelase, Dithejane, Sebelebele, S.Mahlangu, Nurkovic.
Subs: Mongae, Semache, Parker, Zwane, Rakwena, Mere, Kolak, Mbatha, Seema.
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