History will record that Mamelodi Sundowns finally broke their Cup Final jinx with a comprehensive 3-1 win against Kaizer Chiefs but Denis Onyango’s name will echo into South African footballing eternity.
While the game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium was sealed by goals from Leonardo Castro, Thabo Nthethe and Hlompho Kekana, it was Onyango’s two penalty saves that decided the fate of the game.
Nthethe gifted Chiefs the penalties through a foul on Bernard Parker and a handball in the 61st and 74th minute, but Siphiwe Tshabalala and Camaldine Abraw both saw fit to shoot to Onyango’s stronger right side.
On both occasions the heaving Amakhosi faithful that outnumbered Sundowns’ miniscule yellow army let the expletives flow. Kekana’s 81st minute goal was the final straw and they emptied the stadium quickly.
It was a humbling of almighty proportions and at the end of the warm night, Sundowns won their first Telkom Knockout Cup final since 1999 when they beat Free State Stars 2-0.
Chiefs last won the tournament through a 3-0 mauling of Orlando Pirates in the 2010-11 season but they did not look like they would heap more cup final misery on Pitso Mosimane’s men.
Bongani Zungu and Themba Zwane are not the get-stuck-in type of midfielders but their commitment took Kaizer Chiefs by surprise.
Zungu was involved in an early scuffle after an unsavoury tackle but his attitude showed that Sundowns were not going to back down.
Referee Khulasande Qongqo could have handled the situations better and the two cautions he dished out to Castro and Tebogo Langerman were reactionary.
Maybe Chiefs’ frustration was a byproduct of conceding a fifth minute goal through Castro after their back four was caught sleeping.
After a sustained early attacked, Langerman’s pace and guile saw him glide deep into Chiefs’ half before unloading a teasing cross. Khama Billat laid on the assist for Castro to bury with a rather untidy header.
The goal came against the run of play but it was a harbinger of the difficulties Chiefs were to face at the hands of Billiat and Keagan Dolly.
As the second and deep-lying forward in the mould of the legendary Hungarian Nandor Hidegkuti, Billiat constantly drew the hapless Lorenzo Gordinho out of position. It left Morgan Gould with a mountain of defensive work to get through.
Sundowns should have led by more than a single goal if they shelved their casualness for when the game was in the bag.
Sundowns took a decisive grip on the game early in the second half when Nthethe powered a header past Brilliant Khuzwayo in the 51st minute.
Steve Komphela made a rare triple subsitution a minute later but lost in that melee was George Lebese’s missed opportunity.
It proved to be a horrible foreboding of what was to come from the penalty spot.
Amakhosi collapse to Brazilians power
While the game at the Moses Mabhida Stadium was sealed by goals from Leonardo Castro, Thabo Nthethe and Hlompho Kekana, it was Onyango’s two penalty saves that decided the fate of the game.
Nthethe gifted Chiefs the penalties through a foul on Bernard Parker and a handball in the 61st and 74th minute, but Siphiwe Tshabalala and Camaldine Abraw both saw fit to shoot to Onyango’s stronger right side.
On both occasions the heaving Amakhosi faithful that outnumbered Sundowns’ miniscule yellow army let the expletives flow. Kekana’s 81st minute goal was the final straw and they emptied the stadium quickly.
It was a humbling of almighty proportions and at the end of the warm night, Sundowns won their first Telkom Knockout Cup final since 1999 when they beat Free State Stars 2-0.
Chiefs last won the tournament through a 3-0 mauling of Orlando Pirates in the 2010-11 season but they did not look like they would heap more cup final misery on Pitso Mosimane’s men.
Bongani Zungu and Themba Zwane are not the get-stuck-in type of midfielders but their commitment took Kaizer Chiefs by surprise.
Zungu was involved in an early scuffle after an unsavoury tackle but his attitude showed that Sundowns were not going to back down.
Referee Khulasande Qongqo could have handled the situations better and the two cautions he dished out to Castro and Tebogo Langerman were reactionary.
Maybe Chiefs’ frustration was a byproduct of conceding a fifth minute goal through Castro after their back four was caught sleeping.
After a sustained early attacked, Langerman’s pace and guile saw him glide deep into Chiefs’ half before unloading a teasing cross. Khama Billat laid on the assist for Castro to bury with a rather untidy header.
The goal came against the run of play but it was a harbinger of the difficulties Chiefs were to face at the hands of Billiat and Keagan Dolly.
As the second and deep-lying forward in the mould of the legendary Hungarian Nandor Hidegkuti, Billiat constantly drew the hapless Lorenzo Gordinho out of position. It left Morgan Gould with a mountain of defensive work to get through.
Sundowns should have led by more than a single goal if they shelved their casualness for when the game was in the bag.
Sundowns took a decisive grip on the game early in the second half when Nthethe powered a header past Brilliant Khuzwayo in the 51st minute.
Steve Komphela made a rare triple subsitution a minute later but lost in that melee was George Lebese’s missed opportunity.
It proved to be a horrible foreboding of what was to come from the penalty spot.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending Now
Latest Videos