Mamelodi Sundowns finished their Betway Premiership campaign with a perfect home record, defeating Magesi 2-0 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on Sunday.
The league champions won all fourteen of their league home games this season in the process of bagging their 24th win of their Betway Premiership campaign.
The victory means Masandawana have broken the record for the most wins in a 34-game season in a campaign of just 28 games. The record was held by Manning Rangers with 23 wins in the 1996/97 season, and equalled by Kaizer Chiefs in the 1998/99 season and Sundowns in the 1998/99 and 1999/2000 seasons.
Magesi’s five-game unbeaten run came to an end on Sunday as Sundowns utterly dominated the fixture. They sit 12th on the table, needing just one point from their final two fixtures to stay in the top flight for next season.
Sundowns went straight to work and opened the scoring in the fourth minute, as Lucas Ribeiro directed Iqraam Rayners’ shot towards goal at close range for his 15th goal of the season.
Ribeiro tried to return the favour by setting up two chances for Rayners, the first of which was headed into the post and later, Rayners could not beat Magesi goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze one-on-one.
Ribeiro scored his second of the game in the 22nd minute from a well worked freekick. Marcelo Allende passed the ball across the edge of the box instead of going for goal or crossing it in, giving Ribeiro space to take one touch before beautifully curling the ball into the top corner.
Sundowns nearly bagged a third in the 38th minute as Tebogo Mokoena’s free kick had Chipezeze scrambling as it sailed towards the bottom right corner from long range, but struck the upright.
The Brazilians came close again in the 43rd minute as Allende’s corner was headed by Lehlegonolo Mokone into the path of Mosa Lebusa, whose shot went over the crossbar.
In the 63rd minute, substitute Peter Shalulile tried the spectacular, attempting to finish Arthur Sales’ cross with a bicycle kick, which went wide. Shalulile remains one goal away from drawing level with Siyabonga Nomvete’s record for most top flight goals in South African football across all competitions.
In the 85th minute, Shalulile unselfishly squared the ball to Sales in the middle of the box who sent what should have been a simple tap-in wide of the post.
With his two goals on the night, Ribeiro pulled clear of teammate Rayners to claim this season’s Golden Boot award for most goals scored in the Betway Premiership with 16.
Having lifted the trophy and finished their league campaign, Sundowns now shift their focus to the CAF Champions League final where they will host Pyramids FC of Egypt in the first leg at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria on 24 May.
Magesi still have two league games to go and will look to secure their safety when they face Marumo Gallants at the Seshego Stadium in Seshego on 24 May.
Mamelodi Sundowns (2) 2 (Ribeiro 4’, 22’)
Magesi FC: 0
Mamelodi Sundowns: R. Williams, M. Khoza, T. Mokoena (T. Matthews 46’), M. Lebusa (M. Mvala 46’), K. Mudau, M. Allende, N. Maema (J. Adams 68’), A. Modiba, L. Ribeiro (P. Shalulile 59’), A. Sales, I. Rayners (T. Zwane 59’)
Magesi FC: E. Chipezeze, T. Kakora (E. Chirambadare 72’), T. Makgoga, M. Buthelezi, L. Mokone, J. Mokone, S. Darpoh, M. Matima, T. Masegela (D. Mekoa 46’), M. Vandala (C. Ashby 62’), B. Baloyi (N. Makhubela 46’)