Mamelodi Sundowns maintained their 100 percent record against Maritzburg United on Friday night, defeating the KwaZulu-Natal side 5-1 in an Absa Premiership match at Woodburn Stadium.

In six previous meetings, the Brazilians had emerged victors over the Team of Choice on each occasion. This time, after a first half penalty had put United in charge, it seemed as if Gordon Igesund?s side were going to break their duck against the Pretoria giants.

However, Sundowns scored five unanswered goals in an excellent second half showing to claim an impressive victory that sees them up to seventh on the log table.

Maritzburg almost gifted their visitors a goal in the very first minute, with Byrone Hendricks? ill-advised back pass putting goalkeeper Brenden Wardle under immense pressure and allowing Katlego Mphela a sight of goal; luckily for United the striker missed the target.

On 18 minutes referee Charl Theron was the centre of controversy for a strange decision. A cross from the left flank saw Sundowns defender Siyanda Xulu foul Wardle in the air and force the ball into the goal.

At first Theron seemed to have allowed the goal to stand, to the disbelief of just about everyone inside the Woodburn Stadium. Then he reversed his decision and awarded a free kick to the home team. It was, to Theron?s credit, the right call, but his way of getting there was utterly bemusing.

Midway through the half Theron awarded a penalty to Maritzburg United. There was no controversy this time, as Xulu had clearly tripped the lightning-quick Felix Obada just inside the 18-yard area. Midfielder Noah Chivuta expertly converted the spot kick to make it 1-0.

Sundowns had a few half chances ? a couple them coming as a direct result of some poor handling by Wardle ? but it was the home side who should have added to the score line with two clear scoring opportunities.

On the half hour mark Fadlu Davids totally miscued a header from a wonderful cross by Obada, and ten minutes later Rudolph Bester tried to curl a shot into the top corner from the left of the penalty area when a cross would have seen the unmarked Obada tap the ball into the net at the far post.

Mphela made United pay for their wastefulness early in the second half, holding off Hendricks before getting away a shot that, although Wardle got a hand on it, still had enough power to skip inside the far post and draw the Brazilians level.

On 51 minutes Elias Pelembe put the visitors into the lead, capitalising on loose ball on the edge of the box after Maritzburg failed to deal with a simple, route-one attacking move from the visitors.

The confidence of going into the ascendancy saw the Pretoria side take control of the game and dominate the KwaZulu-Natal hosts. Wardle made an excellent save to deny Mphela before the hour mark but on 71 minutes the goalkeeper had no chance of stopping the Bafana Bafana striker?s low shot that nestled in the bottom corner to make it 3-1.

The Team of Choice had no answer to Sundowns? onslaught and clear superiority in the second half, this despite coach Gordon Igesund making three bold, attacking substitutions.

Sundowns put the icing on the cake with two late goals from Mabhuti Khenyeza and substitute Lebohang Mokoena. The three points see the Brazilians move into seventh spot on the log on 12 points. Maritzburg are tenth on ten points.

Maritzburg: (4-4-2) Wardle; Petersen, Hendricks, Dikilu, Ngwepe; Obada, Chivuta, Nyatama (Madondo 79?), Bester; Davids (Zimba 80?), Smith (Aka 63?)

Sundowns: (4-4-2) Baloyi; Gaxa (Mere 77?), Mungomeni, Xulu, Mdledle; Pelembe, Nyandoro (Ngubane 87?), Pattison, Katongo (Mokoena 69?); Khenyeza, Mphela