Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned inaugural RedBull Diski Last Namba champions after rallying from behind to beat RB Leipzig 3-1 at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday night.
With majority of their players away on national duty with Bafana Bafana, Miguel Cardoso opted to hand starts to young talents like Thato Sibiya, Malibongwe Khoza and Bennett Mokoena starting berths.
The home side got off to a firing start as youngster Bennett Mokoena tested the keeper from distance early on.
In the ninth minute, Kutlwano Letlhaku then delivered a teasing ball into the box, but it was cleared by the Leipzig defence.
The visitors drew first blood in the 21st minute as Gulacsi Konate thundered a volley home after a loose ball fell kindly for the forward on the edge of the box, to make it 1-0.
Marcelo Allende had a glorious chance from inside the box to draw matters level, but his shot in the 30th minute sailed inches wide.
In the second period, Mokoena should’ve squared it up in the 47th minute after connecting well with Nuno Santos and skinning the opposition defender, but the youngster’s shot was well saved by the Leipzig goalkeeper.
Tashreeq Matthews found himself behind the German outfit’s defence in the 67th minute but his tame shot failed to trouble the Leipzig shot stopper.
Denis Onyango pulled off an audacious save in the 56th minute after Leipzig cut through the defence with the Ugandan international keeping the score narrow.
With 15 minutes left on the clock, Sundowns had half a chance after Fawaaz Basadien does well on the left to send in a dangerous ball, but it was cleared by the defence.
Masandawana leveled matters in the 77th minute as Matthews’ low cross from the right found substitute Brayan Leon in the box who tucked it away neatly to make it 1-1.
Basadien then tried his luck from range with a free-kick in the 85th minute but the Leipzig goalkeeper was equally up to the task.
Substitute Brayan Leon made a huge impact as he put the home side in front with his brace of the evening, making it 2-1 in the 88th minute.
A beauty strike from youngster Mokoena in the 92nd minute put the result to bed as Masandawana walked away with the three points and the trophy.
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