Substitute Siyabonga Mabena, 16, scored as Mamelodi Sundowns created a South African Premiership record and equalled another with a 3-1 win over Stellenbosch on Wednesday 27 September 2023.
Victory in Pretoria stretched an unbeaten league run by the 13-time champions to 32 matches over two seasons, one match more than the mark set by Kaizer Chiefs in 2005.
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Eight consecutive wins
Sundowns also equalled Chiefs’ run of eight consecutive Premiership victories from the start of a season, which was set in 2014.
The match began in torrential rain, and lowly Stellenbosch shocked the hosts by taking a 14th-minute lead when Devin Titus slammed a rebound into the net.
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Sundowns turned the game around by scoring twice within five minutes before half-time through Grant Kekana and Aubrey Modiba. Kekana lobbed the ball into the far corner of the net from an acute angle, and Modiba rifled a free-kick past goalkeeper Sage Stephens.
The rain ceased as the second half began, and Sundowns always looked the likelier scorers against tiring opponents, who lacked several regulars through injuries and suspensions.
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But the former CAF Champions League winners had to wait until the final minute of regular time to seal victory, with unselfish captain Peter Shalulile setting up Mabena to fire into the net.
Is the Sundowns squad the best?
Rather than comment on the records and Mabena, Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena hailed his team as “a fantastic group of players whom I am very proud of”.
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“Stellenbosch are a far better team than their league position suggests, and they made it difficult for us. The heavy pitch did not suit our style.” Losing coach, Steve Barker said: “Conceding the second goal from a free-kick was a major setback for us and quality told in the end.
“Our intensity dropped in the second half, partly because we had a very tough cup tie against Orlando Pirates just three days ago,” he added as his club dropped to 14th.
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In another Premiership match, Kaizer Chiefs snapped a four-match winless run in all competitions by coming from behind to defeat Sekhukhune United 2-1 in Durban. Mozambican Edmilson Dove headed the 76th-minute winner that lifted Chiefs three places to fifth, 13 points adrift of Sundowns.
© Agence France-Presse
