Mamelodi Sundowns began their Caf Champions League campaign with a 2-0 victory over Jwaneng Galaxy in the second preliminary round at the Lobatse Sports Complex on Tuesday afternoon.
The Tshwane giants named Bangaly Soumahoro alongside Ricardo Nascimento, while Sphesihle Mkhize and Musawenkosi Mdhluli, who recently earned a promotion to the first team were named on the bench.
Sundowns got off to a good start and kept a majority of possession in the opening exchanges of the game as they looked for an early goal.
The Brazilians early dominance paid off in the 10th minute when Mothobi Mvala found the bottom corner to hand his side the lead after meeting a low cross from Lyle Lakay.
The visitors nearly doubled their lead nine minutes later but Brian Mandela's strike bounced over the crossbar after meeting a cross from Lakay, who crossed the ball ahead of the Jwaneng defenders.
Denis Onyango was called into action in the 29th minute as he made a low save to keep out a powerful shot from the Jwaneng forward.
Sundowns were forced to make a change in the 39th minute when Aubrey Modiba came on to replace Lebohang Maboe, who was forced off the field through injury.
The home side had a good chance to take the lead with two minutes left in the first half but Onyango did well to deal with a driven shot from the edge of the area.
However, Sundowns managed to maintain their one-goal lead over Galaxy as the game went into the half time break.
Sundowns came out guns blazing in the second half and doubled their 20 seconds in when Peter Shalulile passed the ball into an empty net after a mistake by the Galaxy defence.
Modiba had a chance to extended his sides lead in the 50th minute but could not keep his effort down from the edge of the box as it sailed over the target before seeing his free-kick just miss the post two minutes later.
Galaxy had a chance to reduce the deficit in the 64th minute but failed to trouble Onyango with a shot from just outside the box as the shot goes over the bar.
Sundowns then made their second substitution of the game three minutes later when Sibusiso Vilakazi was brought on in place of Khuliso Mudau.
Shalulile had a chance to put the game to bed in the 69th minute after he turned his man before unleashing a strike from a tight angle, but only for his effort to sail over the goal.
The visitors opted to make a double substitution in the 80th minute when Andile Jali and Soumahoro were taken off and subsequently replace by debutant Siphesihle Mkhize and Sphelele Mkhulise, respectively.
Galaxy pressed forward in the closing stages of the game but were unable to reduce the deficit as Sundowns walked away from the Lobatse Stadium, with a crucial away win.
