Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane made two changes from 3-1 win over ASEC Mimosas last Friday, as Kennedy Mweene replaced the injured Denis Onyango while Wayne Arendse came in for Mosa Lebusa.
The game had a frantic feel to it, with chances from both ends but Masandawana came the closest to going ahead as Anthony Laffor had the composure to lob Leopards goalkeeper King Ndlovu, but Jean Munganga came to the rescue with a headed clearance on the line.
Themba Zwane should have handed Sundowns the lead midway through the half after going clear on the right side of the box, but his strike rattled the crossbar as another chance was squandered for the hosts.
Dylan Kerr was forced to make an early substitution a minute later as Tshwarelo Bereng succumbed to injury and he was replaced by veteran midfielder Robert Ng’ambi.
Lebohang Maboe sqaundered glorious opportunity to break the deadlock for the hosts ten minutes before the break, but he made up for the miss just before the break with a clinical finish from close range after some good work by Hlompho Kekana and Gaston Sirino in the build up.
The Brazilians were 2-0 up eight minutes after the break thanks to an own goal by Masia, who turned Maboe’s teasing low cross into his own net via the underside of the crossbar.
Kerr responded with his second substitution a minute before the hour-mark as Ivan Mahangwahaya came on for Mashoene while Mosimane threw on Anele Ngcongca for Laffor a few minutes later.
Sundowns were looking for pace on counter-attacks as 20 minutes before time they brought on Phakamani Mahlambi in place of goalscorer Maboe, although chances were hard to come by in the stanza despite the former's introduction.
With five minutes to go, Ricardo Nascimento rounded off the scoring for Sundowns' from the penalty spot after a handball inside the area by Pentjie Zulu as the home side moved up to second spot.
The Brazilians will now switch their focus to next week's CAF Champions League encounter against ASEC Mimosas.
Sundowns: Mweene, Arendse, Nascimento, Morena, Lakay, Mabunda, Kekana, Zwane, Sirino, Maboe, Laffor.
Subs: Pieterse, Coetzee, Mahlambi, Ngcongca, Tade, Jali, Langerman.
Leopards: K.Ndlovu, Zulu, Katjiukua, Masia, Mokoena, Munganga, Bereng, Mashoene, Kapinga, Musonda, Hlongwane.
Subs: Muleka, Ng'ambi, Ndou, Nene, Mahangwagaya, Muleka, Sekotlong, Ndawonde.
