Ribeiro brace hands Sundowns a perfect end to the season

Mamelodi Sundowns wrapped up their 2024–25 Betway Premiership in style with a 2–0 win over Magesi FC at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday night.

Lucas Ribeiro’s first-half brace set the Brazilians on their way to yet another comfortable victory. Ribeiro put himself on top of the goal-scoring charts ahead of teammate Iqraam Rayners.

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The attacker’s two goals in the opening 45 minutes took his overall tally to 16 in the league. Ribeiro will have done his chances of winning the hotly-contested Footballer of the Season award the world of good.

The 26-year-old didn’t know much about his first goal, which came after it deflected off his shin to nestle into the back of the net. There was nothing fortunate about his second strike in the 22nd minute.

After Marcelo Allende played a well-executed free-kick into Ribeiro’s path on the edge of the box, the left-footed attacker produced a wonderfully curled effort into the top corner.

It was a game that Masandawana dominated from the first whistle and the Tshwane giants should have been out of sight if they were not denied by the woodwork on two occasions. 

Rayners hit the upright in the 13th minute with Magesi goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze rooted to his goal line. Moments before the break, Teboho Mokoena was also denied by the upright from about 20 yards out. 

Sensing that the three points were in the bag, Downs coach Miguel Cardoso took off star man Ribeiro and Rayners as a precautionary measure ahead of next Saturday’s CAF Champions League final first leg against Pyramids FC of Egypt.

Heading into the match, Sundowns had already won the championship after last Wednesday’s win against Chippa United. However, the crowning moment came after the victory over Magesi, where the PSL handed Sundowns the brand new league trophy in front of their own fans.

The record-breaking champions ended the campaign on 73 points, the same number they accumulated last season under Rulani Mokwena.

Attention will turn to the two-legged champions league decider where sold out signs for the first encounter in Tshwane have already gone up.