By Michelle Odoo,

Lebohang Maboe profited from a late Virgil Vries error as Mamelodi Sundowns claimed a 2-1 Absa Premiership win over Kaizer Chiefs at the FNB Stadium in Soweto on Saturday afternoon. 

The Brazilians defender pounced on a dreadful mistake by the Amakhosi deputy to secure all three points for the visitors, who duly move up to fourth place on the log standings. 

Defeat leaves Chiefs in seventh place, nine points behind log leaders Bidvest Wits. 

Antony Laffor got Sundowns off to the perfect start in Soweto. The Liberia international carved open the Chiefs defence with help from Gaston Sirino before firing home in the third minute of the clash. 

The hosts hit back with 14 minutes on the lock as an unmarked Willard Katsande headed home at the back post after Sundowns failed to clear their lines from a free-kick. 

Laffor squandered an opportunity to restore Sundowns lead in the 20th minute as he watched Mario Booysen clear his rasping shot off the line. 

The game continued to ebb and flow, but neither team could add to their tally before the break with the teams deadlocked at 1-1 as they headed for the tunnel at the interval. 

Chiefs were the better team for most of the second half, but it would be Sundowns to grab all three points as they got their year off to the perfect start – thanks in large to Vries. 

The shot-stopper completely misjudged a hopeful ball forward by Lyle Lakay leaving Maboe with the easiest of finishes – the midfielder with the simple task of firing the ball into an empty net. 

Kaizer Chiefs (1) (Katsande 14′)

Mamelodi Sundowns (1) 2 (Laffor 3′ Maboe 81′)

Kaizer Chiefs: Vries; Walusimbi (Hadebe 46′), Cardoso, Booysen, Ntiya-Ntiya, Katsande (Mahlasela 71′), Maluleka, Ekstein (Parker 46′), Manyama, Billiat, Castro.

Mamelodi Sundowns: Mweene; Lebusa (Lakay 72′), Nascimento, Coetzee, Morena, Kekana, Mabunda, Sirino (Madisha 84′), Maboe, Laffor, Brockie (Mkhulise 72′).