By Baron Kironde
Denis Onyango’s Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Moses Waiswa’s Supersport United 3-1 to clinch the South African DSTV Premier Soccer League (PSL) title on Wednesday, May 26th, 2021, a record 11th and fourth straight title.
Mamelodi, are top of the PSL log after 27 games with 60 points, ten more than second placed AmaZulu who are on 50 points with three games to go.
This is also Masandanwana’s first title in the post-Pitso Mosimane era, and it could not have come at a better time than shortly after exiting from the CAF Champions League at the hands of Mosimane coached side (Al Ahly).
In the game played at the Loftus Versfeld, there were no goals until after half an hour played when Lebohang Maboe in the 32nd minute showed up in the right place at the right time to slot home, giving Mamelodi Sundowns the lead.
Less than ten minutes after, Aubrey Modiba’s cross from the right beat everyone including the keeper to make it two for the home side.
In quick succession, Masandawana made it three through Themba Zwane after a great team move with one minute to play for in the first half. Teboho Mokoena scored late for the visitors to deny Onyango a clean sheet.
Supersport’s loss has dented their already thin hopes of squeezing into the top three, as they remain at 41 points, five below third placed Golden Arrows.
The Tshwane derby may have had the Brazilians secure three points and a title, but Onyango painfully lost a clean sheet. Onyango is closing in on the Premiership clean sheet record which stands at 17.
The above record, held by AmaZulu goalkeeping coach Josephs Moeneeb was set in the 2009/2010 season when he was still the shot-stopper at Orlando Pirates.
With three games for Sundowns left to go until the end of the season, Onyango has already managed 14 clean sheets, just three adrift of Moeneeb’s record.
Masandawana’s skipper Hlompho Kekana and Onyango, both 36 have reached another milestone, winning the most titles in PSL history.
Kekana joined Mamelodi Sundowns from Bloemfontein Celtic in 2011, and he arrived at Chloorkop with two league medals.
He won those with SuperSport United during their dominant years between 2008 and 2010, before leaving the club for Celtic.
Kekana has now added five league titles with Sundowns to take his tally to seven titles, a feat he holds with Onyango.
Onyango, who arrived in South Africa in 2006, a year after leaving SC Villa for Ethiopia’s St. George is arguably the greatest goalkeeper in the history of PSL.
While at SuperSport, he won three league titles in 2007-08, 2008-09 and 2009-10 before he joined the Brazilians.
At Sundowns, he has added five more league titles; 2015/16, 2017/18, 2018/19, 2019/20 and 2020/21.
