Mamelodi Sundowns responded strongly to their weekend cup defeat, securing an impressive 5-2 victory over AmaZulu FC in a Betway Premiership clash at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Sundowns made a number of changes to their starting XI, with seven players who did not feature in the weekend cup encounter brought into the lineup.
The fresh legs paid dividends as Brian León opened the scoring in the 24th minute with a superb volley.
León was at it again before the break, producing a stunning free-kick to double Sundowns’ advantage and send them into halftime with a commanding 2-0 lead.
AmaZulu came out with renewed intensity after the restart and pulled one back through in-form Zimbabwean striker Thandolwethu Ngwenya, making it 2-1.
Sundowns, however, quickly regained control.
Matthews restored the two-goal cushion before León completed his hat-trick in the 66th minute to put the champions firmly in command.
Youngster Bennett Mokoena added another late goal as Sundowns continued to dominate, with the final score ending 5-2 in favour of Sundowns.
The result provides a strong response from Sundowns following their weekend cup disappointment and gives them valuable momentum heading into their next fixture.
Sundowns now turn their attention to the MTN8 second leg against Golden Arrows in KwaZulu-Natal, while AmaZulu will face Richards Bay in their next league encounter.