After lockdown, bio-bubble and thirty games later Mamelodi Sundowns are the Champions of the last edition of the ABSA Premiership, season 2019/20 season. This is the tenth league title and the third one in a row. The Brazilians showed resilience, commitment and fighting spirit to defend their league title after defeating Black Leopards by three goals to nil.
The game had it all, controversy, brilliance and jubilation. From the kick-off the intention was clear and that was to score goals, the front three led by Gaston Sirino, Themba Zwane and Lebo Maboe. Zwane had an opportunity to take the lead in the first minute but his shot was deflected for a corner. The visitors showed that they were not just going to lay down and showed some neat touches but it never gave them any clear goal-scoring opportunities.
Masandawana had an opportunity in the thirty-second minute when the referee awarded a penalty after Zwane was hacked down in the box. Up stepped Ricardo Nascimento but his penalty was saved by Ndlovu, the defender also saw his rebound saved by the Leopards’ keeper. The half seemed that it would end at 0-0 but Maboe had other intentions as he headed a well-placed pass by Zwane to take the lead and put the Brazilians on the summit of the league.
In the second half, the instruction was clear and that is to score goals, six minutes into the second-half Maboe netted his second of the match. Lidoda Duvha were on the back foot for most of the game the front trio kept on pressing Leopards to the corner and the third goal for the day as Maboe scored his third of the night.
The match ended 3-0 and wrapped up the season as league champions. Congratulations Masandawana:
How we lined up:
Mweene, Ngconga (75′ Makgalwa), Madisha, Nascimento, Langerman (55′ Lakay), Coetzee, Kekana, Mkhuma (38′ Mkhulise), Sirino, Zwane, Maboe
Subs: Pieterse, Makgalwa, Mkhulise, Mabunda, Arendse, Mohomi, Meza, Lakay, Laffor
Thanks to all associated with Downs especially the coach and his technical staff you msfeus proud even though it was tough and inconsistency sometimes but you’ve done it against all odds.
Lastly I want to salute Junior Khanye that guy can analyze the game and he’s not biased I don’t know why our tv channels not employ him instead of employing teams supporters not good analysts,he gave me hope when I was down at first I laughed at him thinking he was crazy, ya uphiwe Mfowethu hope to meet you one day just to shake your hand.Kby forever
To Manqoba
I rember one of post match interviews you did while you were still coaching Golden Arrows after you were beaten by Sundowns. ” I wish I can have an opportunity to coach a team like Sundowns with such good quality.
Look at you now, your wish was granted, I’m sure you remember that very well.
God at work, he has a way of answering our wishes. The power of WORD.
Congrats boys, the entire team, you have made us once more proud to be called Sundowns. This inspiration will go a long way to my individual life where I want nothing else but success and triumph in what I do. I hurt to say, I said once we beat Golden Arrows, this league will be ours, Kaboyellooooowwwwwww
Congratulations to Masandawana! Proud of this team. To the supporters,lets keep the support.
many thks Masandawane done wonderfull job Maboe u done gud job at last
Well done Masandawana! Champions will always emerge at the end of the Competition. That finishing power is the one that determines Championship. The mentality is right at Sundowns. There are days when things did not go right, but Supporters with understanding, channeled their positive energy right that ,it is football, it happens ,all the errors were all human. Then kept the hope, the pain of being a supporter is part of the game. It is however of paramount importance that we as supporters we control our public sentiments, and avoid individual attacks, believe in your team,give support and encourage them, l am very happy many guys had to right off the team, some kept the faith, some had mixed feelings, some were outright bile sputters, its ok, next time people will change and begin to talk well of what they love. We all feel the pain when we do not do well but some react and some respond to the situations. I am happy that finally we are all happy that the team has done us pride. It is indeed painful to be a supporter but it is worse to be a staunch critic. We need one another, we all form a body of supporters, some encourage the team, some push the team and some victimise individuals and attack them. The only lesson that the players must teach the haters is to prove them wrong by doing what the player is called to do. I know of individuals who can attack from the head coach to the least player,but at last these prove their worthy. There must be a good lesson from what happened. I am happy the pains have been healed and we look forward to positive comments next season. Have the belief,have the faith and above all know how to speak in public. Thank you.
Thank you coach Pitso, Technical team and all stakeholders, it was difficult, we were emotionally shaken and frustrated, during this bio bubble games things almost took wrong turn, the are two games that work me out, the tactic on Chiefs game and the lose to Baroka, damn I was so emotionally drained after those games, I believe technical approach had to be shifted to deal with the situation so we get the three points, I’m happy that we closed the games with our culture and I worked .
This is the cup I wanted with everything in my soul, it was going to be injustice not to win this last trophy under ABSA league sponsorship, we had to keep this in our cabinet
Coach Pitso thank you very much keep speaking your mind, do anything to protect your boys, your strategy is working for the club, your utterances take focus away from the players whereas they do the talking for you on the ground
Coach Mnqithi other clubs supporters may reduce you under coach Pitso’s shadow and try to create a rift between you and coach Pitso, onething they will never acknowledge is that your work is out there for everyone to see
Remember late 90’s early 2000’s when it was difficult to even start a branch we were called names and no one took Sundowns serious now you guys have taken our pain away changed our tiers of pain to joyful one, even if I die today I will get into that grave with a smile knowing the team I love have grown and made its mark to the word, when I saw the acknowledgement from Laliga then I knew we are who we think we are.
To the supporters our investment is emotionally to the club it is therefore important to keep on checking them are they positive or negatively impacting to the club, I’ve seen tweets ridiculing the players which have potential to kill their form, we have to remember they do see these tweets, we can be angry at the but if we criticize them it must be a game analysis, we are the only club in PSL that have a stable culture of the game it needs stable emotions.
I love you all, Ka bo Yellow nation
I’m waiting to celebrate after Nedbank cup,can’t celebrate in pieces.People think we don’t love this team and we do,if you can look at the stats,30 shoots on goals and 13 on target against Leapards compared to how we performanced against Baroka you will understand why we attacked after that Baroka game,we knew you could do better.Good luck in the finals,go out there and make Yellow nation family happy.
Downs I remain
Congratulations to you MASANDAWAN I’m glad that you eventually crowned the last edition of the ABSA premiership champions, it wasn’t easy but thanks everyone involved with masandawan fimily. I knew sundowns fc they always start slow and finish stronger but honestly speaking I told myself that SUNDOWNS FC would finish second considering the gap that was set by the KAIZER CHIEFS TEAM. WE THANK YOU GUYS FOR EVERYTHING YOU DID FOR US
Well done boyz. There can never be a better moment than pipping Zebbies to the podium. Even if you don’t win this Nedbank cup to me you’ll be forgiven, you’ve already achieved more than enough. From now onwards I’m just going to be a supporter and stop complaining, whether we do well or badly
lessons from this league
Lets leave the couch alone he knows what he is doing and he knows his players
Preparations are important for every event .Preparation for 50 yrs celebration was done in advance (invested in players three years ago NOT only jersey as some team did .Chiefs does not have good players and their style is easy to defend .
Also set your target upfront – do not be ashamed to say you want to win the league .Now we only left with NEDbank cup to achieve our target
We need tall, speedy, clever n strong center-back urgently pls🙏🏼, we r 2 weak n slow in defence🤞🏼🙏🏼