The Betway Premiership has a new twist and it arrived under the Soweto lights. Mamelodi Sundowns walked into the FNB Stadium on Wednesday night knowing that only a statement performance would keep their title streak alive. They delivered exactly that, beating Orlando Pirates 2 1 and slicing the gap at the top of the table to three points.
For a side chasing a ninth consecutive league crown, it was a night when composure met clinical finishing. And it came from a man who has been steadily growing into his moment.
Read more: FNB stadium set for 60 000 as Pirates and Sundowns headline title showdown
A fast start that meant nothing in the end
Pirates opened the match with the confidence of a team protecting a long unbeaten record. Ronwen Williams was called into action twice in the opening quarter of an hour, first tipping away Deon Hotto’s deflected strike, then standing firm to block Yanela Mbuthuma’s close range effort from an Oswin Appollis delivery.
FNB Stadium felt ready to erupt. Patrick Maswanganyi almost had the moment to ignite it when he broke through the middle, only for Khulumani Ndamane to stop him with a perfectly timed tackle. That intervention quietly shifted the energy of the match.
Read more: Betway Premiership: Orlando Pirates back on top after hard fought win over AmaZulu
Brayan Leon steps into the spotlight
Just minutes later, Sundowns pounced. In the 37th minute, Nuno Santos sent a beautifully angled ball into the box and Brayan Leon finished with confidence from a tight angle. It was clinical. It was composed. And it was only the start.
Four minutes later, Aubrey Modiba whipped in a low ball and Leon, alert and hungry, stabbed it home. Suddenly Sundowns were 2 0 up and firmly in control heading into the break.
Pirates hit back early, but not enough
The Buccaneers came out swinging in the second half. Maswanganyi took a chance from distance and a heavy deflection off Teboho Mokoena wrong footed Williams, giving Pirates a lifeline.
For a moment, the match turned into a familiar Soweto storm. End to end football, half chances, anxious groans, and quick counter attacks.
Mokoena nearly extended Sundowns’ lead again with a long range rocket that forced Sipho Chaine into an acrobatic save. Pirates had their moments too, including Ndamane watching his header smash the crossbar. But the equaliser never arrived.
A streak ends, a race reopens
For Pirates, the whistle brought disappointment and the end of a 14 match unbeaten run across all competitions. For Sundowns, it signalled a title race back within touching distance, with a valuable game in hand still to come.
Both clubs now pivot to Nedbank Cup duties this weekend, but Wednesday night’s result has shifted the tone of the season. The dominance of Sundowns is once again under threat, and Pirates will need to regroup quickly if they hope to turn pressure into silverware.
The Premiership is far from over. In fact, after Leon’s double in Soweto, it feels like it has only just begun.
Read more: Pirates host Sundowns in title defining showdown at FNB Stadium
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Source: SuperSport
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