Africa-Press – South-Africa. Mamelodi Sundowns clinched their fifth straight DStv Premiership title, with four matches to spare, when they drew 0-0 with Cape Town City at Loftus on Wednesday.
Although they would have loved to earn their crown with victory, City made them sweat as they tried to get a breakthrough.
The draw means Downs, on 58 points after 28 games, cannot be mathematically caught by any of Royal AM (45), City (41) or Orlando Pirates (41) below them in the table.
AS IT HAPPENED | Mamelodi Sundowns 0-0 Cape Town City
The men from Pretoria looked visibly downbeat after their shock 3-2 aggregate loss to Petro Luanda of Angola last weekend in the CAF Champions League quarter-finals.
However, their treble hopes are still alive now that the league title has been bagged alongside the MTN8 trophy from earlier in the season.
They next meet Royal AM in the Nedbank Cup semi-finals at Chatsworth Stadium in Durban this Saturday (19:00).
After a tepid first half that went by without incident, Sundowns had a long-range shot by Aubrey Modiba tipped over the bar by City goalkeeper Hugo Marques after the hour.
The hosts were pressing hard for the victory but City kept jabbing them away and depriving the champions-elect of clear cut chances.
Earlier, City could have snatched an unlikely lead themselves when Mduduzi Mdantsane couldn’t take advantage of a wide gap opening inside the Downs defence and fired wide of the mark.
With four minutes to go, Peter Shalulile went on a mazy run down the left flank but his goal-bound shot was blocked for a corner.
Gaston Sirino also attacked the City right flank and pinged a dangerous cross in added time that fell agonisingly short of Sundowns’ men in the City box as the Capetonians cleared their lines frantically.
And nil-all is how it ended, with the trio of coaches Rulani Mokwena, Manqoba Mngqithi and Steve Komphela embracing at full-time.
“It was nice to wrap up the title in front of our supporters,” said Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena. “We missed them so much when they were barred from stadiums for two years due to Covid-19 restrictions.
“Winning would have been nicer, but there was no lack of effort from our boys tonight. City have not lost this year and proved very resolute opponents.
“Five league titles in a row is an incredible achievement and the secret of our success is that everyone at the club works together, from the chairman down.”
Cape Town coach Eric Tinkler said they came to Pretoria hoping to “spoil Sundowns’ party by securing all three points”.
“We were extremely well organised defensively, which you have to be to contain a team with the attacking flair of Sundowns. The teams cancelled each other out.”
City can narrow the gap behind Royal to a single point if they win away to off-form Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday in Johannesburg.
In a match of few clearcut chances, Sundowns came closest when Rushine de Reuck won an aerial duel with Angolan goalkeeper Hugo Marques and nodded just over.
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