The Betway Premiership has reached the ultimate climax, and what a season it has been with the champions being confirmed just this past Wednesday in East London, and for the diehard book makers there really was not going to be a change in who seats on the throne.
Tshwane giants Mamelodi Sundowns have over the past seasons rattled feathers of their other competitors in the league with setting the bar so very high, a situation that has left the Premier Soccer League crown staying in Chloorkop for the past 7 seasons before the just ended 2024/2025 campaign.
With the season having started rather slow for the Brazilians, bowing out of the MTN 8, Carling Black label cup and already chasing in both the league and Champions league Mamelodi Sundowns hierarchy parted ways with coach Manqoba Mngqithi.
For many naysayers the Mini shakeup coupled with the coming in of a new man at the dugout with the appointment of Portuguese tactician Miguel Cardoso, this finally was the opportunity to dethrone Mamelodi Sundowns.
Week in week out many critics and fly by night football pundits gave analysis of how the coach would not last the entire season as he would be given the boot as well, how coach Rhulani Mokwena played better football, how he is more of a plumber than a coach, so many derogatory remarks.
Regardless of all that the train kept moving and the highlight of all was the top of the table clash when Mamelodi Sundowns took on the sea robbers Orlando Pirates at a packed Loftus Versfeld stadium in Pretoria.
Dubbed by many enthusiasts the title decider and decide the title it did, as the football on display proved as such with a top-drawer performance from the Tshwane giants. The Soweto giants were easily put away 4-1 with goals from Grant Kekana, an immaculate brace from Brazilian superstar Lucas Ribeiro and a ferocious thunderbolt to cap it all from the ever-green Teboho Mokoena.
And Wednesday night the entire yellow was buzzing with expectation of confirmation of their league triumph when they travelled to East London to take on Chippa United whom they had earlier dispatched 3nil. And at packed Buffaloe stadium the Brazilians did just that with dazzling performance, as early as the 11th minute Lucas Ribeiro found Iqraam Rayners who weaved and turned around defenders finding space to put the ball into the top left corner. The goal put level on the charts with teammate Ribeiro and what a show they were putting on with Rayners turning provider to Ribeiro whose effort was saved by the keeper.
As coach Cardoso had been heard saying in the dressing room prior to the encounter, “this game ends in the final minute” and his players were putting that on show with wave after wave of attack, with Ribeiro in the 54th minute losing his footing after putting away the goalie who came rushing onto a Tashreeq Mathews cross from the left, with the ball cleared off the line.
The Rayners, Ribeiro show would be cut short as they had to be substituted with Arthur Sales coming and did waste time as in the 69th minute from a Khuliso Mudau pass Sales ran on the right flank encroaching on to the edge of the box releasing what looked like a cross that found its way into the net. The goal was a reminder of the 2002 world cup quarter final goal that Ronaldinho scored against England, others called it fluke, but it was the genius of Ronaldinho to see David Seamen was off his line and went for the goal, and just like Sales he looked up before releasing the ball realizing the goalie was off his lines in anticipation of a cross.
Sales would make it 2nil with the entire bench of Mamelodi Sundowns running to join in the celebrations including coach Cardoso who could not hide his delight. Sales would make it 3nil in the 89th minute and it was game set and match with Mamelodi Sundowns claiming an 8th title on the trot.
The scenes post-match could tell of a team that has set the bar high for themselves and will never allow the standards to drop, the emotion from the players and the coach and the rest of the technical speaks a lot to that.
The moment when coach Cardoso was knelt in ecstasy and the moment, he was seemingly making a thanksgiving prayers alone after the final whistle says a lot about the man and that which he brings along with him to his players and the club at large.
Congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns, KABO YELLO MASANDAWANA.
