Some teams need a week to come down from a cup final. Mamelodi Sundowns needed about 18 minutes. Three days after beating Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final, they travelled to Princess Magogo Stadium on Tuesday night and put four past Richards Bay. The Richards Bay Sundowns result, 4-1, keeps the Betway Premiership leaders unbeaten after nine league games and a point clear of the Buccaneers.
Iqraam Rayners scored twice. Fawaaz Basadien scored his first goal for the club. And the only real scare of the night came and went inside the first 25 minutes.
| Score | Minute | Scorer |
|---|---|---|
| Richards Bay 0-1 Sundowns | 18′ | Tashreeq Matthews |
| Richards Bay 1-1 Sundowns | 22′ | Lwandile Mabuya |
| Richards Bay 1-2 Sundowns | 37′ | Iqraam Rayners |
| Richards Bay 1-3 Sundowns | Just after half-time | Iqraam Rayners |
| Richards Bay 1-4 Sundowns | Around the hour | Fawaaz Basadien |
How the Richards Bay Sundowns result took shape
Richards Bay started brightly enough to have the ball in the net in the opening minute, only for the flag to go up for offside. Sundowns took the hint. Tashreeq Matthews, man of the match in Saturday’s final, opened the scoring on 18 minutes after Siyanda Ndlovu set him up.
The lead lasted four minutes. Lwandile Mabuya levelled for the hosts on 22 minutes, and for a spell this looked like it might be a proper contest.
Then Matthews turned provider. His cross found Rayners, who headed Sundowns back in front on 37 minutes, and the visitors went in 2-1 up at the break.
Whatever was said in the home dressing room at half-time did not last long. Rayners struck again almost straight after the restart for 3-1, and around the hour Basadien, starting at left-back, finished a move involving Teboho Mokoena to make it 4-1. From there it was about seeing the night out, and Sundowns did that comfortably. Richards Bay, with Ian Otieno in goal, had no answer once the third went in. Matthews, with a goal and an assist, was again at the centre of almost everything good his side did.
The changes that worked
Sundowns did not simply roll out the side that won the MTN8. Aubrey Modiba, who started the final against Pirates, was left out of the matchday squad. Basadien took the left-back slot, with Divine Lunga on the bench. A first goal for the club is a decent way to argue for keeping the shirt.
FARPost also pointed to the centre-back pairing of Khuluman Ndamane and Malibongwe Khoza, who kept the clean sheet in the final, as a reliable option now ahead of Grant Kekana and Mothobi Mvala. That is the kind of depth most PSL squads can only envy.
If there is a quibble, it sits at the back. Sundowns have now conceded eight league goals this season, according to FARPost, while Pirates have let in one. Mabuya’s equaliser was a reminder that this defence can still be got at, even on a night of four goals.
What it means for the title race
TimesLIVE has Sundowns on 23 points from nine games, seven wins and two draws, and still unbeaten. Pirates beat TS Galaxy 3-0 at Orlando Stadium on the same night and sit one point behind with a game in hand, so this race is a long way from settled. Our Pirates v Galaxy report has that one.
For Saturday’s story, our MTN8 final report covers the night Sundowns took the trophy. The Tuesday fixture guide set up this round, and our Mamelodi Sundowns page has the bigger picture on the club.
Four goals, nine games unbeaten and a new name on the scoresheet at left-back. Sundowns came down from the cup final without a stumble. Pirates, one point back, will have noticed.