Mamelodi Sundowns clinched the Premier League title with a goalless draw against Orlando Pirates amid a carnival mood at the Odi Stadium on Saturday afternoon. The Buccaneers, who finished as heart-breaking runners-up for the second successive year, needed a 6-0 victory to emerge champions in what was the final game of the season.
Pule, Patrick ‘Ace’ Ntsoelengoe, unanimously acclaimed as one of South Africa’s greatest soccer players, died on Monday at the age of 50. The shock reverberated round the country, with a pall of gloom and sadness cast over Kaizer Chiefs, the club with whom he was most widely associated during an illustrious and varied career.
It’s what most South African soccer followers will see as a dream Absa Cup final on May 20 — but there was plenty of drama as Orlando Pirates beat Classic 2-1 at Loftus Versfeld on Sunday afternoon to qualify for a match-up against arch-foes Kaizer Chiefs. The shocks and shenanigans began even before the kick-off.
Kaizer Chiefs eased into the final of the Absa Cup at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Saturday afternoon after a gruelling but goalless 120 minutes against Mamelodi Sundowns. In spite of the unmistakable tension and excitement both on and off the pitch, play often deteriorated to an amateurish level.
In a season for Kaizer Chiefs that has ominously contained more Downs — with a capital D — than ups, the form of tough acting captain and central defender Fabian McCarthy has stood out like a shining beacon. But now an injured McCarthy will be out of Saturday’s prestigious Absa Cup semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns.
Drive into Mamelodi Sundowns’ Midrand headquarters in Chloorkop and the parking lot is crowded with so many luxury cars you would think you had inadvertently ventured into the flashy Detroit or Paris motor shows. It’s going to be even glitzier after the Brazilians virtually clinched the Premier Soccer League title on Wednesday night with a stirring 3-1 win against Classic.
The fat lady might not be singing, but by all rational and logical assumptions Mamelodi Sundowns are the Premier Soccer League champions for the 2005/06 season. Sundowns staged a stirring fightback on Wednesday at Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium to beat Classic 3-1 and rivals Orlando Pirates drew 1-1 with Bush Bucks.
The odds by all reasonable and realistic accounts favour Mamelodi Sundowns as the tense and intriguing Premier Soccer League title battle with Orlando Pirates approaches the second-last, but possibly decisive, hurdle on Wednesday night. Sundowns face relegation-threatened Classic at Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium.
Bitter rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns appeared more like the best of friends when a press conference was held on Monday to publicise their eagerly-awaited Absa Cup semifinal in Rustenburg on Saturday. Ernst Middendorp of Chiefs and Neil Tovey and Migueal Gamondi of Sundowns were responsible for this uncharacteristic accord.
Kaizer Chiefs, showing more composure and direction than they had in recent games, dimmed Silver Stars’ bright lights and gained a revenge 2-1 Premier Soccer League victory at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace on Sunday afternoon. In the process, the Amakhosi ensured the consolation prize of finishing at least third in the log.