Mamelodi Sundowns needed something special in Umlazi. Teboho Mokoena delivered it.
With the clock ticking into the final minutes at King Zwelithini Stadium and Golden Arrows sensing a precious point, the ball broke to Mokoena on the edge of the area. One touch to set, one ruthless swing of his right boot, and the net bulged. A 2-1 win secured. A four-match winning streak intact. A three-point cushion at the summit preserved.
It was a strike worthy of deciding a frantic Betway Premiership contest that never allowed either side to breathe.
New boy Ndlovu, old Sundowns habit
Sundowns, as they so often do, tried to impose themselves early. Their reward came from a fresh face in yellow.
New signing Siyanda Ndlovu announced himself with a first-half opener, finishing to give the Brazilians control and a sense that the league leaders might pull away. It looked like the perfect script: new recruit, early goal, Sundowns in their stride.
Arrows refused to play along.
They grew into the game, fed off the energy in Umlazi and dragged the champions into a scrap. Junior Dion found the equaliser in the second half, wiping out Ndlovu’s opener and turning the final stages into a test of nerve as much as talent.
From there, the match became stretched, chaotic, and brutally intense. Tackles flew in, transitions came thick and fast, and both sides chased a winner. For long spells, a draw felt inevitable.
Then Mokoena stepped up.
Cardoso hails character – and warns on maturity
On the touchline, Miguel Cardoso saw more than just three points. He saw a mentality he wants to define his Sundowns side.
“I’m obviously happy with the character we’ve shown because sometimes if you concede a goal like that, you don’t have the mental capacity to be resilient and to fight for something,” the coach said afterwards.
For Cardoso, Dion’s leveller was the kind of moment that can break a team or harden it. His players chose the second option, pushing until the very end and finding the late winner that keeps them three clear of Orlando Pirates after six matches. Pirates, though, still hold a game in hand, a detail no one at Chloorkop will ignore.
“So it means that the message, the character and attitude we’re trying to build is strong. No one can destroy the attitude and that is something that we have to state all the time,” Cardoso insisted, underlining the psychological edge he is trying to cultivate.
He knows, though, that belief alone is not enough.
“What I didn’t like is that after we scored the two one we still went to go attack like it was the last minute of the match and we were losing by two goals,” he admitted, cutting through the euphoria with a dose of realism.
The winner brought relief, but also a reminder: game management matters.
“But we needed to have the maturity at that point to manage the game and keep the ball in the right places to finish the game in the few minutes that were remaining. There’s obviously some learning to do from this match so that we can become stronger in the future.”
Loftus next as Sundowns chase control
The schedule offers no time to bask in late drama. Sundowns return on Wednesday at Loftus Versfeld against Siwelele FC, carrying a perfect run across all competitions into a fixture that will test both their legs and their composure.
Four wins on the bounce say this is a team in rhythm. Cardoso’s words say he wants more than rhythm. He wants control, maturity, and a side that doesn’t just find late winners, but strangles games on its own terms.
They sit top. They have momentum. They have match-winners in new signings and old pillars alike.
Now comes the harder part: turning those flashes of character in Umlazi into a habit that can carry them through the rest of the season.
