Sundowns fall short of equaling Chiefs record after draw

Mamelodi Sundowns fell two games short of equalling Kaizer Chiefs’s record of 17 straight league wins as Masandawana’s 15 successive victories came to an end when they played to a 1-1 draw with Stellenbosch on Sunday afternoon in Cape Town.

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However, if you speak of spoilt for choice, you are speaking of Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena who has the luxury of making seven changes in his team but still not lose a game. Mokwena fielded an almost unrecognizable Masandawana side.

Sundowns started without a number of regular starters such as Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane, Ronwen Williams, Rushine De Reuck, and Mothobi Mvala, just to name a few.

The Sundowns coach gave a few players a debut, while Reyaad Pieterse made his first appearance of the season and only his 11th start in three seasons.

The opening half might have failed to produce any goals but that was not because of a lack of trying as both sides made a lot of effort to find the back of the net, with Stellies’ chances mostly falling to Junior Mendieta.

The Argentine tried to score a spectacular goal in the 10th minute when he received a cross from Devin Titus down the right flank, but Pieterse was up to the task as he easily dealt with the shot.

Mokwena rang the changes in the 65th minute, bringing on the likes of Cassius Mailula, Aubrey Modiba and the troubled Sipho Mbule, who is reported to have turned up to training under the influence of recreational beverages.

And these changes indeed proved to be a master stroke for Mokwena as Mailula came in to score his eighth goal of the season, giving Downs the lead. It came off a move on the left, with a Neo Maema corner kick that bounced off the head of Peter Shalulile, down towards Mailula, who toe-poked to make sure Sundowns get the advantage.

However, the script was not the same for Mbule, who conceded a penalty in the 85th minute when he fouled Qobolwakhe Sibande in the box. Iqraam Rayners stepped up to steal a point for his side, putting an end to Sundowns 15-game winning run.

Meanwhile, in other DStv Premiership matches played on Saturday afternoon, AmaZulu beat Chippa United 2-0 with Junior Dion and Mbongeni Gumede scoring the goals for Usuthu. Marumo Gallants and TS Galaxy played to a 0-0 draw.

Zakhele Lepasa scored a brace as he found the back of the net for SuperSport United, who beat Golden Arrows 2-1 in Atteridgeville. Keagan Johannes was the culprit for Abafana Bes’thende’s goal as he fouled Divine Lunga in the box and Knox Mutizwa stepped up to take the penalty and he netted his sixth goal of the season.