Stalemate at Loftus as Stellenbosch deny Sundowns top spot

Mamelodi Sundowns squandered a golden opportunity to return to the summit of the Betway Premiership table after a resilient Stellenbosch FC fought back late to secure a 1-1 draw at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on Wednesday night.

The result leaves the Brazilians on 57 points after 24 matches, trailing leaders Orlando Pirates by a single point. While the Buccaneers currently occupy the summit, Sundowns still hold a crucial game in hand as the title race enters its final stretch

The match began with the home side looking to assert dominance despite a visible lack of freshness following their gruelling CAF Champions League semi-final victory over Esperance just days prior.

Coach Miguel Cardoso’s side broke the deadlock in the 27th minute when Tsiki Ntsabeleng found the bottom right corner with a composed finish from the centre of the box, expertly assisted by a through ball from Arthur Sales. Sundowns looked comfortable for long periods, with Teboho Mokoena and Marcelo Allende controlling the tempo, though they failed to find the cushion of a second goal that their possession often threatened.

Mabasa Does Parent Club a Favour as Stellenbosch Stun Sundowns at Loftus

Stellenbosch, fighting to break into the top eight, remained disciplined and gradually grew into the contest. Steve Barker’s men survived several scares, including a brilliant save by Sage Stephens from an Allende strike in the 76th minute. The momentum shifted drastically in the final ten minutes when Chumani Butsaka drew a foul from Khulumani Ndamane inside the penalty area.

Drama unfolded in the 86th minute when Tshegofatso Mabasa, currently on loan at Stellenbosch from title rivals Orlando Pirates, stepped up to take the penalty.

His initial left-footed effort was parried by Ronwen Williams, but the rebound fell kindly for the striker, who reacted quickest to slot the ball into the bottom right corner from close range. The equaliser sparked frantic celebrations on the visitors’ bench, though a late scare followed in stoppage time when Mabasa had the ball in the net again, only for it to be ruled out for offside.

The stalemate is a significant blow for Sundowns’ immediate title ambitions but serves as a testament to Stellenbosch’s grit as they move to 32 points, remaining in ninth place and just two points shy of the top eight.

For Cardoso, the focus will now shift to managing his squad’s heavy schedule as they balance domestic duties with a looming CAF Champions League final, while the point for Stellenbosch keeps their hopes of a top-half finish firmly alive.