MTN8 Final: How Sundowns’ players rated

Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned MTN8 champions following a 2-0 victory over Orlando Pirates at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night.

Teboho Mokoena and Iqraam Rayners were on target as the Brazilians lifted the season-opening competition after an entertaining encounter in Durban.

Mamelodi Sundowns Player Ratings:

Ronwen Williams – 8/10

Williams delivered when his team needed him most in a frantic opening 45 minutes. He also denied Ghampani Lungu from the penalty spot on the hour mark, producing a crucial save to keep his side in front.

Thabang Matuludi – 6

Matuludi looked comfortable on the ball and was rarely troubled at right-back. Making only his second start in Sundowns colours, wasn’t caught out at the back, with much of Pirates’ attacking threat not coming down his flank.

Khulumani Ndamane – 5

Ndamane showed commitment in his individual battles and was not afraid to get stuck in. However, he looked less assured than the final scoreline might suggest, with Pirates finding opportunities to trouble the Sundowns defence.

Malibongwe Khoza – 6

Khoza endured a challenging evening alongside Ndamane in central defence. The pair could have been punished had Pirates been more clinical in front of goal, leaving both defenders somewhat fortunate to escape without greater scrutiny.

Thapelo Morena – 5

Morena endured a quiet night and missed a golden opportunity in the first half. The experienced wing-back struggled to make an impact after that early miss and offered little going forward.

Aubrey Modiba – 5

Modiba struggled to influence proceedings at either end of the pitch. His contribution in attack was limited, while he also failed to make a significant impact defensively. Miguel Cardoso’s decision to withdraw him at half-time, particularly after his first-half booking, came as little surprise.

Teboho Mokoena – 7

Mokoena did not appear to be at full fitness after returning from international duty with Bafana Bafana carrying an injury. Nevertheless, the midfielder used his experience to make a valuable contribution. Although he lacked his usual freedom of movement, he put in a solid shift to help Sundowns get over the line.

Nuno Santos – 5

Santos failed to reach the heights expected of him after his impressive brace in Sundowns’ 2-1 victory over Al-Ahli Saudi in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup last month. The Portuguese attacker struggled to make a telling impact and was relatively quiet throughout the final.

Marcelo Allende – 6

Allende looked comfortable dictating play from deep but offered little attacking threat in the final third. Despite his limited contribution going forward, the Chilean midfielder worked hard and delivered a solid performance in the MTN8 decider.

Brayan León – 5

It was a frustrating evening for León who struggled to make his presence felt in attack. The Colombian striker was indecisive in several promising situations and missed a golden opportunity late in the second half before being substituted with eight minutes remaining.

Tashreeq Matthews – 5

Matthews was guilty of poor decision-making when Sundowns broke forward into promising positions, and greater composure in the final third could have helped his team put the game beyond Pirates’ reach earlier.

Sundowns Substitutes

Divine Lunga – 6

Lunga offered little in attack but was dependable defensively. He played an important role in helping Sundowns keep Pirates at bay during his time on the pitch.

Iqraam Rayners – 6

Rayners made his presence felt by converting the penalty in injury time. Beyond that decisive contribution, the striker had little opportunity to influence the game during his brief 12-minute appearance.

Siyanda Ndlovu – 6

Ndlovu brought energy after coming off the bench and made an immediate impact by winning a late penalty. Introduced with eight minutes of regulation time remaining, he looked lively and gave the Sundowns attack a lift.

Thabo Cele – 5

Cele struggled to get involved after replacing Santos with 22 minutes remaining. He often found himself chasing the game without the ball but worked hard defensively and helped cover for Mokoena when the midfielder was unable to track back.