Another commanding campaign in which Sundowns matched their own record for the biggest winning margin, finishing 16 points ahead of Orlando Pirates.
Were it not for a late season wobble as their attention turned to the CAF Champions League, they would have won by an even greater margin.
Despite a mid-season coaching change that saw Rhulani Mokwena take over sole control of the dug-out, they were untouchable, with the most goals scored (52) and least goals conceded (13) as they extended their own record of six DStv Premiership titles in a row.
PLAYER SELECTION AND RECRUITMENT
Mamelodi Sundowns made a significant purchase in the pre-season transfer market, signing Bafana Bafana captain Ronwen Williams from SuperSport United in deal worth a reported R12-million and handing the goalkeeper a lucrative four-year contract.
Williams debuted aged only 19 for SuperSport United in 2011 and went onto make a club record 370 appearances and Sundowns capturing his signature was a major turn of events for both club and player, signalling the end of Denis Onyango’s long stint as the club’s No 1.
It followed on the heels of Teboho Mokoena signing for Sundowns from SuperSport in January 2022, also for a reported R18-million, and Sipho Mbule at the end of last season.
But while Williams was an ambitious move, the money paid for Marcello Allende broke new standards for South African football and underlined the club’s enormous spending power.
The 23-year-old from Chile, with had trials at Arsenal and already one cap for his country’s national team, moved from Uruguay in a deal that sees him earn $36 000 per month over the next three years following $3-million transfer fee.
At a total package of some R75-million, it is around three times more than clubs get in grants from the PSL for the year!
Ethiopian striker Abubeker Nasir and the Moroccan defender Abdelmounaim Boutouil also arrived, which meant Pavol Safranko had to leave, while Gaston Sirino took out South African citizenship to release another foreigner’s berth.
Left-back Terrence Mashego was signed from Cape Town City, but his season was blighted by injury and he barely featured.
Later, the former Bafana Bafana midfielder Bongani Zungu also signed on a free transfer after the end of his time in France but was used sparingly by coach Rhulani Mokwena.
A CHANGE IN THE DUG-OUT
New technical director Fleming Berg had time to settle in and observe the mechanics of a coaching triumvirate at Sundowns, and signs were not good.
There was some definite tension between Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena, and it was clear that the differing styles of the two were not working to the proper benefit of the team.
Change was needed, and the catalyst was the 3-0 home loss to Orlando Pirates in the second leg of the MTN8 semifinal, which was a major jolt to the Sundowns’ eco-system and gave the Dane the opportunity to ring the changes.
Mngqithi was switched to senior coach and Mokwena was placed at the helm - a leap of faith considering the 35-year-old’s previous solo stints at Pirates and Chippa United had been anything but successful. Steve Komphela won a promotion of sorts to first-team coach.
It inspired a record-breaking winning streak in the league as Sundowns romped to the title in dominant fashion.
By the season’s end, Mokwena had been in charge for 32 matches with 24 wins, seven draws and the solitary loss to Stellenbosch in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal.
HOW THE NEW PLAYERS FARED
Allende and Williams went straight into the starting line-up, bucking the recent trend of Sundowns settling players in over the first few months of their stay.
But for Boutoil there was a nine-month wait before he would make his mark, as the coaches struggled all season to bed down a settled centre-back pairing.
Ethiopian striker Nasir was twice injured and did not have enough game time to make an impression and was moved down the pecking order of strikers by the sudden emergence of homegrown talent Cassius Mailula.
Zungu had weight problems and Mokwena was insistent he get rid of the extra pounds and prove his fitness before he would get a chance to play. Sipho Mbule was then the subject of much media speculation over off-field antics, but the club stood by him and over the last months he has been a regular in the team.
Terrence Mashego arrived from Cape Town City but suffered an almost immediate injury and was sidelined for months. His hard-running style will see him become a future regular but in the meantime the first-choice right back is Aubrey Modiba because of the inverted style that the coach prefers.
At 25 years old, Keletso Makgalwa is no longer an emerging talent at Sundowns and was sent out on loan, as was goalkeeper Jody February.
Safranko had to leave because of the foreigners quota, while Sibusiso Vilakazi – former winner of the Player of the Season award – also had his contract terminated in January. Kermit Erasmus and George Maluleka were allowed to go without cost to their new clubs.
KEY MATCHES
Early on in the season, an aura of invincibility seemed far-fetched as Sundowns lost to both TS Galaxy and SuperSport United.
But beating Kaizer Chiefs 4-0 in Pretoria in their third game of the season was a reminder of their potential and as the World Cup break drew near, the Brazilians had already hit the front.
Their MTN8 defeat by Pirates was a jolt but Sundowns then won 5-0 at Maritzburg and 3-0 away at Royal AM to go into the break in command.
On their return they never looked back, with key wins over Pirates (2-0 on Dec. 30), SuperSport and Chiefs (both in January) and then Pirates again at the Orlando Stadium in early February.
Their five-goal victory over Egyptian giants Al Ahly in the Champions League was their best of the campaign to date as they reminded all of their enormous potential in African club competition. Further credence to this had been given by the way they picked apart Chabab Belouizdad of Algeria away in the first leg of their quarterfinal tie.
Unfortunately, they fell short again in the Champions League with a 2-2 home draw in the second leg of their semifinal against wily Wydad Casablanca ensuing the Moroccans advanced on the away goals rule, tarnishing the season for The Brazilians somewhat.
KEY MILESTONES
The stand-out statistic from this season is perhaps the DStv Premiership record 15 victories in a row that laid the platform for their title success.
The run started with victory over Chippa United in September and was ended in March by a 1-1 draw at Stellenbosch FC. They remain unbeaten in 24 games (W18 D6) since a 2-1 loss at SuperSport United.
They also won the domestic league title in the quickest time, taking only 23 games and wrapping it all up by April 1. It is as dominant a performance as South African football has ever seen.
They also extend their record of consecutive league titles to six, and their overall top mark of 16 titles overall. That is three more victories than the club next on the list, Kaizer Chiefs.
They missed out on their own record points total in a 30-game season of 71 by one, but equalled their record margin of victory set last season as they finished 16 points ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates.
They also set a new best mark for goal-difference of +39, which is better than their own record of +36 set last term.
Sundowns also matched the record for most home wins in a 30-game league season of 12, which they already jointly held with Ajax Cape Town (2010/11) and BidVest Wits (2016/17).
Goalkeeper Ronwen Williams has kept a DStv Premiership record of 18 clean sheets this season, beating the previous best mark of 17 by Orlando Pirates’ Moeneeb Josephs.
Sundowns striker Peter Shalulile reached 100 goals for South African topflight teams this season, having also played previously for Highlands Park. The Namibia international reached the mark in 197 games, which is the quickest anyone has got to three figures in the past.
Goalkeeper Denis Onyango has now claimed 10 league titles in South Africa, a record and one that will take some beating. The first three of those came in the colours of SuperSport United, before winning seven with Sundowns, including in the last six seasons. Next on the list of players with the most league winners’ medals is Hlompho Kekana, who left Sundowns in 2021 after his eighth. He won two at SuperSport and six with Sundowns.
In the Champions League, Temba Zwane scored his 17th goal in the competition this season, which is more than any other PSL player, while Sundowns became the first side to score five goals against Al Ahly twice in Africa’s elite club tournament.
INTEGRATION OF YOUNG PLAYERS
Sundowns’ owner Patrice Motsepe wants to help South Africa build a new national team and become more competitive on the African continent, having been to two major tournaments as Confederation of African Football president and watching other nations perform but without his own country being present.
Bafana Bafana were at neither the last Africa Cup of Nations finals in Cameroon nor the World Cup in Qatar. He believes Sundowns can help and has ordered coach Mokwena to start bringing players through the ranks.
That is why, after the World Cup, there were suddenly a bevy of teenagers from the club’s DStv Diski Challenge team who were handed debuts.
The unexpected success of Cassius Mailula, too, was a spur to look within rather than outside for the next generation of Sundowns stars. Thando Buthelezi, Jerome Karelse, Siyabonga Mabena, Ntandoyenkosi Nkosi and Siyanda Nyanga have had playing time in the first team.
Mabena was 16 years and 26 days old when he came on as a substitute against Royal AM in March to set a new club record, and looks a huge talent for the future, for both club and country.
SUPPORT FROM TEAM MANAGEMENT
The sheer size of the technical team at Sundowns shows the financial support that team management has given to coach Rhulani Mokwena to make sure no stone is left unturned in preparing the side for games.
Their success has not been just because of their playing personnel and the money they are able to invest in the transfer market, but the incredible support structure they have built up around the club.
Most DStv Premiership clubs have an expanded technical team of around 7-8 people – coaches, assistant coaches, doctor, kit men etc. Sundowns have had a list of 24.
It is an army of experts who look after every aspect of the players and the preparation for matches, and always try to improve. It ensures that Sundowns should be far ahead of any local side in terms of physical, mental and tactical aspects of the game.
Aside from their three experienced mentors in head coach Mokwena, and his assistants Komphela and Mngqithi, they have a total of four performance analysts looking at their own play, and of course planning for the opposition.
It ensures that when the games come thick and fast, as they do for Sundowns, there is a ‘spare man’ to be able to look further ahead than the next encounter.
They even have an assistant goalkeeper coach, Marcus Mashilo (to Wendell Robinson), a sports therapist, two team biokineticists and a set-piece coach in Michael Loftman.
And then there is technical director Berg, who ensures the success and integration at all levels of the club, junior and senior.
IMPACT OF THEIR SUPPORTERS
Last season already Sundowns fans outnumbered those of Kaizer Chiefs at home in a vivid statement on how success … or the lack thereof … is changing the supporters’ landscape. There is no doubt that Chiefs still have the most supporters countrywide but Sundowns’ legions are growing, especially among the youth.
Everybody loves a winner, and the fan base has grown as Sundowns have dominated.
Their traditional supporters have always been a fickle bunch as their relationship with former Pitso Mosimane bore witness to.
When results were not forthcoming, they were quick to turn on the coach, but for now it is a sea of yellow at most Sundowns games around the country as they revel in the tremendous domestic success of the side.
CAN ANYONE STOP SUNDOWNS?
Such has been Sundowns’ dominance over the past few seasons, it is hard to see their monopoly on the domestic league being ended anytime soon.
As long as the Motsepe family remains focused on the club and committed to its success, they will have the financial muscle and the clout to maintain that dominance.
But there are some caveats to that. Just what effect the much-vaunted African Super League may have on Sundowns’ domestic focus and capabilities remains to be seen - should it ever get off the ground.
Will it be a case of a first team in that competition and a second-string in the domestic DStv Premiership? We do not know because details remain sketchy.
And then there has been the rise of Orlando Pirates under Spanish coach Jose Riveiro, which is also gathering pace.
He won two trophies (MTN8 and Nedbank Cup) in his first season in South Africa, and secured a second-place finish in the table and Champions League football next season.
That is about as dominant as it gets in the ‘best of the rest’ category outside of Sundowns.
A look behind the numbers also shows Pirates’ improvement on the previous campaign.
They finished with 10 more points than last year (54 vs 44), as well as more wins (16 vs 10), more goals scored (40 vs 34), fewer goals conceded (21 vs 28) and a far healthier goal-difference (+19 vs +6).
They won 11 of their last 15 games (D2), which shows that once Riveiro came to grips with the league, the players at his disposal and discovered the right formula, Pirates were formidable.
In fact, it is championship form. Over the same period (last 15 games), Sundowns amassed 33 points. Pirates collected 35.
Pirates look the only side who could potentially mount a challenge to Sundowns over 30 games for now, but that suggests The Brazilians will stand still.
There is nothing to suggest Sundowns won’t get even better in the coming seasons with the expertise they have at their disposal and the money in the bank to improve all areas of the club.
Any realistic end to their dominance in the league looks a long way off.