Marcello Allende scores the winner for Mamelodi Sundowns against Polokwane City to see the Brazilians return to the summit of the PSL standings

Marcello Allende strike saw Mamelodi Sundowns return to the top of the Betway Premiership standings this evening.

Sundowns beat Polokwane City 1-0 at Seshego Stadium in what was a tense PSL encounter which intensifies the title race further.

The Brazilians are now on 61 points one more than Pirates who are on 59 with the same number of games, 26, played by both teams.

Pirates are on a path to derail Sundowns’ ninth title on the trot while Sundowns plan to ensure they not only successfully defend their title but also win a record nine successive PSL trophies.

Polokwane City have become a hoodoo team of sort to Sundowns and expectation was that they will dent Miguel Cardoso’s troops in Polokwane today.

But it was not to be as Allende has other ideas on the wintry night in the Limpopo province.

That striker in the second half by the nippy Chilean midfield dynamo saw this season’s Caf Champions League finalist return to the summit of the PSL standings.

On Sunday, Polokwane City, will travel to Pretoria for the second round game of the campaign against Sundowns.

That game will also be crucial in the title race but Allende would be a marked man on the day.