07.02.2016 20:22 h

Five-goal Mamelodi Sundowns widen league lead

Mamelodi Sundowns scored five goals in the South African Premiership for the first time this season to trounce Free State Stars 5-2 Sunday and widen their lead to six points.

Colombian Leonardo Castro, Zimbabwean Khama Billiat and Botswanan Mogakolodi Ngele were among the scorers for the rampant Pretoria outfit in north-west mining town Orkney.

Record six-time champions Sundowns bettered the four goals they scored against Wits last September despite falling behind in the first minute to a Danny Venter shot.

Wayne Arendse levelled before half-time and a Keagan Dolly goal on 57 minutes triggered a scoring spree from the championship pacesetters.

Castro, Billiat and Ngele stretched the lead to 5-1 before Katlego Mashego claimed a last-minute consolation goal for mid-table Stars.

Expensively-assembled Sundowns are unbeaten in 14 Premiership matches and 18 in all competitions, 16 of which they have won.

Known as the 'Brazilians', they have 42 points after 18 rounds, Wits 36, Mpumalanga Black Aces 35, title-holders Kaizer Chiefs 32 and Platinum Stars, with a game in hand, 30.

Sundowns are guided by former national team striker Pitso Mosimane, whose modest results as coach of South Africa led to the sack after a 2014 World Cup qualifying draw with Ethiopia.

They begin their 2016 CAF Champions League campaign next weekend away to Chicken Inn of Zimbabwe in the preliminary round.

The second heaviest league loss of the season for Free State meant the continuation of a poor run by Italian coach Giovanni Solinas since replacing German Ernst Middendorp in mid-season.

The first Italian to coach in the Premiership has collected just seven points from a possible 18 since he and assistant, former South Africa defender Bradley Carnell, took charge.

Aces, who began the weekend in second place, slipped to third behind Wits after being held 0-0 by visiting Bloemfontein Celtic in north-eastern city Nelspruit.

Unfashionable Johannesburg side Wits got back on the winning trail after a loss and a draw by edging off-form Golden Arrows 1-0 courtesy of a goal from debutant Sifiso Hlanti.

It was the fourth consecutive defeat without scoring for Durban-based Arrows, promoted this season as second division champions.

Chiefs snatched a dramatic 3-2 home win over bottom-of-the-table Maritzburg United at Soccer City stadium in Soweto after surrendering a two-goal first-half advantage.

Defender Lorenzo Gordinho was the match-winner, nodding a stoppage-time corner past Belgian goalkeeper Glenn Verbauwhede as United conceded three goals for the fourth consecutive league game.

Platinum, the only other club with any chance of overtaking Sundowns, trounced consistently poor travellers Polokwane City 3-0 in Rustenburg with Malawian Robert Ng'ambi among the goals.