Phakaaathi reflects on an incredible day at Free State Stadium.
Fairytales really do come true
Everywhere you looked after Magesi FC’s comeback win over Mamelodi Sundowns to lift the Carling Black Label Knockout, there were stories that beggared belief.
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Head coach Clinton Larsen was coaching Summerfield Dynamos in the ABC Motsepe League before he took over at Magesi and won promotion last season to the Betway Premiership. Malawian centre back Lindokuhle Mzava didn’t have a club for two seasons before he joined Magesi at the start of this campaign.
Ghanaian midfielder Samuel Darpoh was said to be struggling to make ends meet after being released by AmaZulu in January 2022. This was a group of players that had no right to even think they could beat Sundowns. But they took their chances on an incredible day at Free State Stadium, to seal one of the biggest shocks in South African cup history.
Sundowns lost composure after Magesi’s equaliser
Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi bemoaned his side’s luck after this loss to Magesi. And his side certainly dominated the match, with far more possession and shots on goal than their opponents.
ALSO READ: Mngqithi reflects. on ‘unfortunate’ loss to Magesi
Sundowns, however, were guilty of losing their composure after Magesi levelled the scores at the start of the second half. Masandawana looked in complete control in the first half, creating chance after chance, and it was no real surprise when Iqraam Rayners gave them the lead.
It did seem a matter of when, not if, Sundowns would grab another, but they seemed to go into a state of shock after Tshepo Kokora headed in to make it 1-1. Brazilian Lucas Ribeiro had been controlling the game in attack and set up Rayners’ goal. But suddenly he was selfishness personified, shooting on sight, with a Magesi defensive wall in front of him.
Sundowns as a whole seemed to panic. And when Delano Abrahams put Magesi in front late on, it never looked like Mngqithi’s side would recover.
Mngqithi’s tenure is under threat
Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has, for much of this season, had Sundowns purring in pursuit of further glory. For all of their spectacularly slick passing football, however, Masandawana have been held up by key defeats at vital moments.
The MTN8 semifinal loss to Stellenbosch was the first of the season slip-ups. Sundowns lost both legs 1-0, though this tournament has never been their priority. Progress in the Caf Champions League had to be put first, and Sundowns comfortably made the group stages.
Sundowns then lost in the Betway Premiership at Polokwane City. This was a poor defeat, but it was also down to Mngqithi making a host of changes to his side.
Saturday’s loss feels different altogether. Sundowns fielded arguably their strongest possible team, full of Bafana Bafana internationals. They had cruised into the final, netting 11 goals in three matches, without conceding.
Yet when it really mattered, Mngqithi’s Sundowns were found wanting again. Unless Sundowns can bounce back in style, it may not be long before another management shake up takes place at Choorklop.
