History repeats itself as Sundowns secure another Premier Soccer League title

Mamelodi Sundowns’ low-key Premier Soccer League (PSL) title victory on Saturday evening, their sixth in a row, has remarkably mirrored their success in 2007 when Gordon Igesund’s team claimed the club’s fifth championship. 

Just like on April 22 2007, when The Brazilians were crowned champions after Orlando Pirates held closest challengers Ajax Cape Town to a goalless draw at Ellis Park, Masandawana were confirmed as winners without kicking a ball. This time it was SuperSport United, the only team with a mathematical chance of overhauling them, who were held to a 1-1 draw by Chippa United at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday.  

As in 2007 when Sundowns set a record for the earliest title victory in the PSL era when they won with five games to spare, the class of 2023 improved on that mark by winning the league with a whopping seven games, nearly a quarter of the campaign, to play.    

Equally interesting is that the now defunct Ajax were eventually overtaken by Platinum Stars and Moroka Swallows, who finished second and third respectively, just like SuperSport United are now in danger of being leapfrogged by Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs.  

With Sundowns having confirmed a record-extending 13th PSL title, the focus now turns to the three-horse battle for the runners-up spot and the relegation dogfight, both of which could potentially only be settled on  May 20, the final day of the season. 

Following this weekend’s victories for Pirates and Chiefs together with Matsatsantsa’s sixth consecutive drawn encounter with Chippa United, all three sides are now on 40 points with the Buccaneers edging into the coveted second spot on goal difference.   

While Pirates and Chiefs are on a decent run of form, Gavin Hunt will have to effect a huge turnaround if his side is to stay in the race. Saturday’s 1-1 stalemate against relegation-threatened Chippa means they have now won only three of their last 10 league games. That’s in addition to suffering the ignominy of being sent packing in the Nedbank Cup by amateur side Dondol Stars. 

In contrast Pirates and Chiefs, who face SuperSport  in their penultimate fixture of the season, have both run into some form at the business end of the campaign.   

Pirates, who secured their third win on the trot when they handed Richards Bay a sixth consecutive defeat, have now won seven out of their last nine league games to launch themselves into pole position to join Sundowns in next season’s Champions League.  

Chiefs,  who struggled to a controversial 2-1 victory over a Stellenbosch side that was reduced to 10 men after goalkeeper Sage Stephens was red carded in the 16th minute, picked up a fourth consecutive league win that places them handily to capitalise on any slip-ups from Pirates or SuperSport.    

At the other end of the table Maritzburg United claimed a priceless three points with their first win in seven games as they avenged their first round 2-1 home defeat against TS Galaxy with a victory by the same scoreline at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday. 

Not only has the Team of Choice now moved four points clear of basement dwellers Marumo Gallants, who host Royal AM on Tuesday evening, but they also moved to within three points of 14th placed Swallows who also picked up three precious points with a 1-0 win over struggling AmaZulu. Usuthu, runners-up only two seasons ago, have won only one of their last eight league games, leaving them hovering perilously close to the relegation zone.