Like a runaway truck with faulty brakes, Mamelodi Sundowns are swaggering their way to a record-extending eighth league championship in succession.
They did not score the four goals that earned them the monicker of 4x4, but they showed superiority, class and control to take their points tally for the season to 54 after 20 matches with this 1-0 win over old foe Kaizer Chiefs yesterday.
The Brazilians chances of winning this title for the eighth successive time were further enhanced by Orlando Pirates' shock 2-0 loss to relegation fighting Marumo Gallants in Free State late yesterday. Pirates are now 18 points behind the Brazilians with three games in hand.
Besides the important three points, this match has also significantly enhanced the credentials of Lucas Ribeiro as the best player in the league.
To make the win for Sundowns more commendable, the Brazilians played three matches in eight days, while Chiefs were idling before this meeting. Downs still came on top against this rested Amakhosi team.
Those in the know have argued the league was never won in March, but at the rate things are going, the new Betway Premiership trophy looks headed for Chloorkop. The Brazilians have opened a sizeable gap of 18 points ahead of Orlando Pirates but the Buccaneers, who were away to Marumo Gallants in Saturday’s late kick-off, have played five matches less.
For Chiefs, who stayed in this game until the end, they lost all their last six league matches against Sundowns since 2022 and this is their second league defeat in succession to leave them on the middle of the table.
Since he took over from Manqoba Mngqithi in December, this was coach Miguel Cardoso’s 12th league match in charge and he has a near flawless record of 11 wins and only one loss.
Sundowns went into this match having already scored 22 league goals this month after victories over Sekhukhune United, TS Galaxy, Gallants, Pirates, SuperSport United and Golden Arrows.
They suffered only one defeat to Galaxy during this highly impressive seven-match run that gave them a 15-point lead over Pirates before this win over Chiefs.
Some of the Sundowns players did themselves a lot of good as Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos, who is expected to announce the squads for the 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Lesotho and Benin later this month, was in attendance.
During the opening 20 minutes, there were no clear-cut chances, as both teams tried to settle. It was during this period that Chiefs suffered a slight disadvantage, where key midfielder Thabo Cele was shown a yellow card for a professional foul on Ribeiro.
It got worse a few minutes later when attacker Tashreeq Morris was forced off the field with injury and was replaced by Ashley du Preez, but the substitute did make an immediate impact.
Sundowns took advantage of the chance as they opened the scoring when Ribeiro riffled a thunderous volley to beat Bruce Bvuma on the way to the roof of the net.
Ribeiro, who scored his 12th goal of the season, showed calmness under pressure from Edmilson Dove in the box after 41 minutes by controlling a pass from Iqraam Rayners before opening the scoring.
Cardoso continued with Jody February between the sticks in the absence of injured Ronwen Williams and suspended Denis Onyango and they had untested Sanele Tshabalala on the bench. Lucas Suarez and Malibongwe Khoza marshalled the defence, with Teboho Mokoena and Marcelo Allende in the midfield and he continued with Rayners and Peter Shalulile as twin strikers.
Nabi also went with Inácio Miguel and Rushwin Dortely in the heart of the defence, and Cele, Mduduzi Shabalala, Pule Mmodi and Glody Lilepo with Morris upfront.
In the end, it was Cardoso’s plans that worked.
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