Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro nets hat-trick as Sundowns beat AmaZulu

Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro nets hat-trick as Sundowns beat AmaZulu

AmaZulu were given a lesson in football when they were convincingly beaten 3-0 by champions Mamelodi Sundowns on Tuesday night.

Lucas Ribeiro was the teacher on the night, with the Brazilian forward schooling Usuthu’s defence by scoring a brilliant second half hat-trick to move to the top of the DStv Premiership’s scoring chart.

Rhulani Mokwena’s men had hit a bit of a speed bump in the league recently, failing to win three of their last four games before Tuesday’s clash.

However, they showed their class when they battered the opposition into submission with brilliant attacking play at Loftus Versfeld.

Lucas Ribeiro scored his first just after half time after popping up in the right place. He made it 2-0 ten minutes later when he finished from close range. He then rounded off his hat-trick in the 78th minute, leaving AmaZulu shell-shocked.

The result sees Mokwena’s men opening up a 12-point lead at the top of the DStv Premiership table with the season approaching its home straight.

AmaZulu’s bid to finish in the top eight has taken a knock and are just three points ahead of third-from bottom Royal AM.

Sundowns’ next assignment in the league is a trip to TS Galaxy, but that will only come after they play TP Mazembe in the final group stage game of the CAF Champions League.

AmaZulu will be hoping to return to winning ways when they play crisis-club Moroka Swallows next week.

IOL Sport