Mamelodi Sundowns’ quest to go an entire campaign without a defeat ended when Cape Town City pulled off a 1-0 smash-and-grab win in the final match of the 2023/24 DStv Premiership season at a packed-to-rafters Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Brazilians handed 17-year-old talent Siyabonga Mabena his first start of the campaign, with the affair very cagey in the opening stages.
Three minutes into the clash, it was the visitors who threatened Sundowns’ goal. Khanyisa Mayo found himself unmarked at the far post when a cross was swung in but his header failed to trouble Ronwen Williams in goal as it sailed off target.
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Tinkler Pumped Up Ahead Of Tough Sundowns Tie
Williams almost gifted City a goal when he dropped the ball from a throw-in 12 minutes later, but quickly recovered to collect the ball on the second attempt.
Mayo missed a glorious chance to hand his side the lead a minute later. The Citizens striker beat the off-side trap but his ball control let him down as Williams came rushing off his line to kick the ball into touch.
In the 15th minute, the Western Cape outfit kept piling the pressure and forced Williams into an acrobatic intervention when he punched the ball away for a throw-in from a cross.
Lebohang Maboe failed to capitalize on a defensive City error in the 27th minute when he received the ball at the edge of the box. His half-volley sailed just over City’s crossbar without troubling Darren Keet in goal.
Another chance came beckoning for Eric Tinkler’s side in the 35th minute. Jaedin Rhodes’s cross into the box was a waste as no City player was on the end for a tap-in. The ball sailed across the face of goal and out for a goal kick.
The closing stages of the first half provided no spark as both sides headed into the halftime break deadlocked at 0-0.
Sundowns came out flying in the second half and almost took the lead in the 46th minute through Mabena who unleashed a ferocious shot towards goal which missed the target by a whisk.
Four minutes later, Mabena again missed another chance to give his side the lead. He sneaked in just behind the City defenders to meet a cross in the City box but his control let him down as Keet made a comfortable save.
Sundowns were made to rue their missed chances as Rhodes produced a massive steal from Mothobi Mvala in defense before slotting past Williams to hand City the opener in the 61st minute for City’s first goal against Sundowns in eight matches.
Teboho Mokoena’s introduction sparked life into Masandawana. The Bafana Bafana midfielder almost found the equalizer in the 66th minute with his trademark long-range shot from just outside the box but Keet produced a magnificent low save to keep his side ahead.
In the end, it Tinkler’s side that came out tops to leave the capital with maximum points.
