It afflicted Kaizer Chiefs and, for some time this season, it looked as though Mamelodi Sundowns were poised to be struck down as well by what has been called the curse of the top-eight competition. But currently out of the top eight, Sundowns have no intention to fall foul of the curse.
The unpredictable Moroka Swallows were flying high after delivering a crushing blow to Ajax Cape Town’s Premier Soccer League title aspirations with a come-from-behind 2-1 victory on Sunday. In other matches, Sundowns beat Chiefs 1-0; Celtic and Leopards drew 2-2; and AmaZulu and Platinum Stars drew 0-0.
Money might be able to acquire a great deal, but, more often than not, it fails to buy success in soccer. This was the lesson a razor-sharp Golden Arrows handed Thanda Royal Zulu while coasting to a comfortable 3-1 Premier Soccer League victory at the King Zwelithini Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.
Overcoming an early shock in front of an enthusiastic, capacity crowd at the Tali Tennis Centre, the well-tuned doubles combination of Wesley Moodie and Jeff Coetzee gave South Africa what could prove a decisive 2-1 lead in the Euro-Africa Group 2 Davis Cup tie in Helsinki on Saturday afternoon.
Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs face up for a repeat of their recent pulsating Nedbank Cup clash in a Premier Soccer League game at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon. While it might not be of great significance in the PSL championship race, the match-up is certain to be the big crowd-puller of the weekend.
Any remote chance Orlando Pirates might have had of ending as Absa Premiership champions this season seemingly went up in smoke on Saturday night in a goalless draw against Jomo Cosmos — with the Buccaneers’ former goalkeeper, Avril Phali, principally responsible.
After all the endless mediocre, soulless PSL games played in front of near-empty stadiums, Mamelodi Sundowns’ penalty shoot-out victory over rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup at King’s Park in Durban on Sunday evening provided high drama and exceptional entertainment.
A full moon seemed to smile benignly on SuperSport United as they thrashed Free State Stars 6-1 at the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville on Sunday night and took the Premier Soccer League log lead from Ajax Cape Town. SuperSport’s new-found potency was nothing less than stunning.
The small, if noisy, crowd at the Oppenheimer Stadium in Orkney on Sunday afternoon was indicative of what those who stayed away anticipated from the soulless zero-all Premier Soccer League draw between Moroka Swallows and Jomo Cosmos. The teams stuttered their way through 90 minutes of ungainly soccer.
All the talk before Monday’s Nedbank Cup draw centred on a potential final between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns — with the gnawing proviso, of course, that the Premier Soccer League glamour clubs were not pitted against each other in the last-16 round. But the improbable did occur, amid gasps of amazement and disbelief.