Shock league loss for African giants Sundowns (26.11.2001)
African Champions League finalists Sundowns suffered a shock 1-0 home loss to struggling Hellenic Sunday in the South African Premiership.
Sundowns, who host Egyptian club Al-Ahly here on December 8 in the first leg of a tie that offers the winners one million dollars, fell behind after 68 minutes in comical fashion.
A goalmouth collision left two players from Sundowns and one from Hellenic sprawled on the Loftus Versfeld turf and the ball fell favourably for Darryl Smith, whose half volley flew past goalkeeper John Tlale into the far corner.
It was the first league goal of the 2001-2002 season for national youth team striker Smith and only the fifth time Cape
Town-based Hellenic scored from play in 13 matches.
But Hellenic remain bottom of the 18-club standings despite their first success, level on points with Sundowns, AmaZulu and Classic, but behind on goal difference.
With the Champions League consuming much time and energy, three-time Premiership winners Sundowns have made a disastrous start to the domestic season, winning just one league match in seven, including six at home.
Sundowns dominated Hellenic territorially on an overcast afternoon, but the old failing of timid finishing was evident while Hellenic goalkeeper Gareth Ormshaw made several superb saves to be voted man of the match.
