Defender Malibongwe Khoza opened the scoring in the 21st minute, rifling home from close range after a short corner caused confusion in the Gallants defence. Cassius Mailula then sealed the points in the 67th minute with a well-taken strike using his weaker left foot, marking his third goal in four matches since returning to the club.
The win lifts Sundowns further up the table and maintains their early momentum under coach Miguel Cardoso. However, the victory was overshadowed by a serious injury to Bafana Bafana right-back Khuliso Mudau, who was forced off in the first half. Cardoso later described the injury as “very, very severe.”
Sundowns controlled large periods of the contest and created several opportunities, while Gallants struggled to pose a consistent threat. The result leaves the visitors near the bottom of the standings as they continue to search for their first win of the campaign.
Mailula’s ongoing form has been one of the positives for Masandawana this season, and his latest contribution underlines his importance to the attack. Sundowns will now turn their attention to their next fixture as they look to build on this solid home performance.