It will rank as the upset of the season after the mighty Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a surprising 1-0 defeat to unfancied Polokwane City in a Betway Premiership clash over the weekend. This unexpected result not only halted Sundowns' perfect start to the Premiership season but also stood out as one of the key highlights of local football over the weekend, as Herman Gibbs explains.
Polokwane's defensive masterclass sends Sundowns packing
No one in their wildest dreams would have predicted defeat for Sundowns, but Polokwane's coach Phuti Mohafe devised a clever strategy to disrupt his opponents. Knowing that Sundowns would be without their kingpin goalkeeper Ronwen Williams and playmaker Ribeiro Costa, Polokwane capitalised on these absences.
Sundowns made a staggering eight changes to their starting XI for the match, as coach Manqoba Mngqithi opted for a rotation policy. This decision proved costly, as Sundowns not only lost to Polokwane for the first time in six seasons, but they also failed to record a single shot on goal throughout the match. Should this occur again, it is likely that significant changes will be made at Sundowns.
Kaizer Chiefs underline their pulling power in Polokwane
Over 35 000 Kaizer Chiefs fans flocked to the Peter Mokaba Stadium for Saturday's match against SuperSport United.
The atmosphere was electric, fuelled by the Chiefs' recent impressive 4-0 victory a week prior. However, SuperSport's coach had other plans and aimed to upset the momentum of the Chiefs.
Following their match against Chiefs, SuperSport had played Orlando Pirates during a midweek fixture, marking Saturday as the third time SuperSport faced the Soweto giants in just a week. Aware that his players lacked the stamina to keep pace, the coach made Chiefs do most of the running, resulting in a frustrating game for the Chiefs, which ended in a scoreless draw.
Goalkeeper Thakasani Mbanjwa a revelation for SuperSport
Thakasani Mbanjwa, formerly of Moroka Swallows, stepped in as SuperSport United's late replacement for the injured Ricardo Goss and delivered a sensational performance, earning him the title of 'Player of the Match'.
Mbanjwa showcased his remarkable skills by making three outstanding saves that contributed to a clean sheet, a remarkable feat for his first start in the run-on XI. If he continues to impress, Mbanjwa is likely to retain his starting position when coach Gavin Hunt selects the squad to face Golden Arrows on Wednesday.
Royal AM defy the odds to claim first Premiership win of the season
In a remarkable turn of events, Royal AM coach John Maduka has been orchestrating miraculous results, guiding his team to victory against the highly-rated Sekhukhune United on Sunday. Despite grappling with numerous off-field challenges, including a year-long ban on signing new players, Maduka's squad has shown resilience.
They were able to draw new talent from their reserve league amidst a backdrop of ongoing contractual disputes, including one involving player Samir Nurkovic. Fifa has mandated that Royal AM pay Nurkovic, failing which they may face punitive action from either SAFA or PSL.
High-flying Chippa in fine form, keep the trigger-happy boss at bay
Chippa United's recent form has kept their notoriously trigger-happy boss Siviwe Mpengesi from making any drastic managerial changes. The team showed their prowess by defeating Lamontville Golden Arrows 2-0, surging to third place in the standings.
This victory marks their third win in six matches and signifies Chippa's best league position in seven seasons. Should Chippa maintain this momentum, they have the chance to further solidify their place when they face struggling AmaZulu on Tuesday evening.