By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
Mamelodi Sundowns clinched a fourth DStv Premiership title and became the first team since the advent of the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in 1996 to win the league title for four successive seasons.
It is also worth noting that they clocked an unassailable 60 points at the top of the standings after toying and beating an out of sorts 10-men SuperSport United 3-1 in the Tshwane derby at Loftus on Wednesday.
With an highly impressive win that was secured through first half goals from Lebohang Maboe‚ man of the match Aubrey Modiba and Themba Zwane‚ Sundowns ensured that the championship race will not go to the last day of the campaign.
The game ended on somewhat of a sour note with Denis Onyango forced from the field with a hand injury, resulting in Brian Onyango having to finish the game in goal after Sundowns had made all their substitutions.
SuperSport failed to test the centre-back in stoppage-time and ultimately – like they did in 2014 – Sundowns clinched the league crown following victory over their Tshwane rivals at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
This league title success is a huge achievement for the coaching trio of Manqoba Mngqithi‚ Steve Komphela and Rulani Mokwena as there were numerous doubters when they were asked by club owner Patrice Motsepe to assume the reins following irrepressible former coach Pitso Mosimane’s departure to Egyptian powerhouses Al Ahly in September last year.
Meanwhile Black Leopards defeated Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in a DStv Premiership clash at the Thohoyandou Stadium on Wednesday afternoon, with the result keeping alive their hopes of avoiding direct relegation from the top-flight league.
Lidoda Duvha, who secured the win thanks to a brace from Tiklas Thutlwa, remain bottom of the log but are now just three points behind Chippa United (placed in the relegation playoff zone) with two rounds of the 2020-21 season left to play.
As for Chiefs, they could still mathematically be drawn into the relegation playoff mix (they are five points clear of Chippa) but the result is more realistically a major blow to their top-eight hopes: the Soweto giants are three points off the top half and their fate in this regard will now depend on the likes of Baroka FC, TS Galaxy and Bloemfontein Celtic dropping points.
The teams will return to DStv Premiership action next Wednesday, 2 June, with Leopards away to Cape Town City and Chiefs at home to Golden Arrows.