Football
Nick Said, Special to ESPN 6y

Gaston Sirino magic sees Mamelodi Sundowns return to winning ways

Uruguayan forward Gaston Sirino was in imperious form as he led Mamelodi Sundowns to a much-needed 2-1 victory over AS Togo-Port in their CAF Champions League Group C clash in Pretoria on Friday.

The lively Sirino scored the opening goal and laid on the second, as well as numerous other chances, as the home side dominated their outclassed opponents to move into third in the pool, though the margin of victory should have been far greater.

They are now level on points with leaders Wydad Casablanca and Horoya from Guinea, though those two meet in North Africa on Saturday to play their game in hand.

Sundowns were surprise losers to Togo-Port in Lome the previous week, though Sirino was suspended for that game.

He had a hand in all of Sundowns' good play as he toyed with the visiting defence, his trickery delighting the home crowd, but most crucially providing an end product.

After Brockie had blasted wide from six yards, Sirino opened the scoring on 11 minutes when he ran onto Themba Zwane's through-ball and showed good strength to hold off the defender, before poking the ball past the keeper.

It was 2-0 just a few minutes later as he turned provider, twisting and turning in the box before he slipped a low cross into the path of Sibusiso Vilakazi, who provided a back-heel flick for a finish.

Sirino set up another chance for Brockie but against the New Zealand striker was denied, before the Uruguayan's excellent wing play created a chance for Anele Ngcongca, but the right-back shot wildly over the bar.

Vilakazi laid on a cross to the back post for Brockie to break his nine-month wait for a goal, but the forward could only hit the side-netting.

Left-back Tebogo Langerman had two excellent chances to add to Sundowns' tally, but his first was well saved and the second sailed over the bar.

Togo-Port grabbed a goal out of nothing with four minutes remaining when Kokou Kloupko beat the offside trap and chipped the ball over Dennis Onyango in the Sundowns goal.

Elsewhere, Tunisian side Etoile du Sahel sealed their place in the quarter finals with a 2-0 home Group D victory over Mbabane Swallows from Swaziland.

Maher Hannachi, a new arrival at the club from CS Sfaxien, scored the first in the opening half, before Slim Ben Belgacem grabbed a late second in Sousse.

Etoile's 10 points mean they cannot finish lower than second in the pool.

In the other game in the group, Primeiro de Agosto scored twice late on to claim a crucial 2-1 home victory over Zambian side Zesco United in Luanda.

Zesco broke the deadlock on 67 minutes when John Ching'andu fired home from the edge of the box, but Primeiro equalised in the last minute of regulation time through a flicked back-heel shot by Gerlado.

Seychelles referee Bernard Camille had indicated there would be only five minutes of injury-time, but towards the eighth minute of additional time Democratic Republic of Congo star Bobo Ungenda headed the ball into the back of the net from Geraldo's cross.

In the only game in Group B on Friday, Algerian side ES Setif claimed what could be a crucial away point at Moroccan side DifaĆ¢ El Jadida.

Tanzanian forward Simon Msuva had the home side in front, but El Habib Bouguelmouna equalised from the penalty-spot just past the half-hour mark.

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