A study of European 2019 season commentary suggests prejudice is alive and kicking, but Black Lives Matter and Covid-19 may be changing this
It was going to take a special goal to win Nedbank Cup and the R6-million winner’s cheque. And it was a goal of sheer brilliance from Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Lerato Chabangu two minutes from time that earned the Brazilians a hard fought and largely undeserved 1-0 win over the gallant Mpumalanga Black Aces.
Mamelodi Sundowns had their minds on Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final and paid the price when Free State Stars thumped the defending Premier Soccer League champions 4-0 in the final league fixture of the season. Meanwhile, Santos ended in third position on the league table after beating Platinum Stars 1-0, and Orlando Pirates beat AmaZulu 4-1.
Mamelodi Sundowns crashed out of the African Champions League despite beating Sudan champions Al-Hilal 1-0 at Atteridgeville’s Super Stadium in a hard-fought third-round, second-leg tie on Sunday. There was no score at half-time. Al-Hilal won 4-3 on aggregate.
It was heartbreak for Jomo Cosmos at Orkney’s Oppenheimer Stadium on Wednesday when an injury-time goal by Mamelodi Sundowns substitute Bryan Aldave plunged Ezenkosi further into the Absa Premiership relegation quagmire and earned Downs a 1-0 win.
It was going to take something special to win this tight Nedbank Cup semifinal between favourites Mamelodi Sundowns and AmaZulu at Potchefstroom’s Olen Park on Sunday. The piece of individual magic came from Downs Zimbabwean international midfielder whose stunning 66th minute goal earned the Brazilians their place in the final.
It is starting to come together at last for Mamelodi Sundowns. After failing to defend their Absa Premiership title and sacking one of the country’s top coaches in Gordon Igesund earlier this season, the Brazilians have finally turned the corner under caretaker coach Trott Moloto, who replaced Igesund.
FC Cape Town took Mamelodi Sundowns to extra-time before the Premiership side finally triumphed 2-0 in a Nedbank Cup quarterfinal game played at a wet Athlone Stadium on Saturday night. The first half saw FC Cape Town paying scant respect to the Premiership champions as they dominated the game and at times made Sundowns look ordinary.
In-form Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns eased to a 3-0 victory over the unsophisticated Curepipe Starlight of Mauritius in the MTN Champions League’s first-round, first-leg encounter at the Super Stadium in Atteridgeville on Saturday.
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/ 21 February 2008
Orlando Pirates celebrated their 70th birthday in style when they beat Mamelodi Sundowns 3-1 in an Absa Premiership match at the Johannesburg Stadium on Wednesday evening. Bennet Chenene headed in from close range in the ninth minute and Bucs lead doubled two minutes later when Excellent Walaza also headed in.
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/ 12 February 2008
Premier Soccer League champions Mamelodi Sundowns turned the tables on AmaZulu and gained a timely 2-1 victory at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Monday night to avenge a home defeat by a similar margin against the Durban team earlier in the season.
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/ 4 December 2007
Kaizer Chiefs’s Itumeleng Khune won this year’s awards for goalkeeper and player of the Telkom Knockout Cup at a ceremony held at the Wanderers in Johannesburg on Tuesday. The 23-year-old not only received the trophies for his outstanding performances, but also a whopping R300 000.
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/ 2 December 2007
After a painstaking 120 minutes of meticulous football, Kaizer Chiefs goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune emerged the hero as he made three saves in the Telkom Knockout Cup final to give his team another famous cup victory over Mamelodi Sundowns at a packed Loftus Stadium on Saturday night.
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/ 30 November 2007
This time last year Muhsin Ertugral was calm and affable. He was clocking success after success with Ajax Cape Town, whose players he called his chickens — mostly because of their youth. It was around this time that he was preparing for the Telkom Cup final, the first of two finals to which he led his chickens last season.
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/ 23 November 2007
The Soweto derby, between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, has captured the imagination of football lovers since 1970. The fixture has become the showstopper of the South African football calendar. This weekend’s match in Durban will export the passions of South African fans to Europe and those parts of Africa where it will be televised live.
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/ 11 November 2007
Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Brian Baloyi was unflappable, stopping numerous goal-scoring attempts from the Free State Stars, as his team won 2-1 in the extreme heat of Kimberley where they played their Telkom Knockout Cup soccer semifinal match.
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/ 4 November 2007
The emerging Orlando Pirates lost 2-1 to Mamelodi Sundowns at a packed Loftus Stadium in an Absa Premier League game played on Sunday. Esrom Nyandoro scored first for the two-time league champs in the 37th minute and then Lucas Thwala netted the equaliser four minutes later.
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/ 27 October 2007
Those in Pretoria might have ignored the inclement weather in massive numbers to pay homage to the triumphant Springbok rugby players, but Mamelodi Sundowns’ recent sketchy form was enough to keep the fans indoors on Friday night as the Premier Soccer League champions regained much of their poise and form in beating Thanda Royal Zulu 3-1.