The MTN8 has not been Mamelodi Sundowns’ competition in the era in which continental titles and the league have been their priority.
Still, the one-sided nature of their 1-0 second-leg semifinal defeat to a fired-up Stellenbosch FC at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday, making for a 2-0 aggregate scoreline, could raise more minor question marks in the era of Manqoba Mngqithi as sole head coach after Rulani Mokwena’s shock off-season departure.
Lehlohonolo Mojela’s easy 48th-minute finish meant Downs’ lone MTN8 title since 2007 will remain unimproved.
The scoreline flattered Downs. If it was Stellies goalkeeper Sage Stephens who kept his team in the game in the first leg, he had three genuine stops to make in the second as instead it was the task of the Brazilians’ Jody February to keep the scoreline down.
Lucas Ribeiro’s stunning 84th-minute curler that came off Stephens’ fingertips onto woodwork and substitute Aubrey Modiba’s low strike from range against the upright in the 90th came with Stellies sitting back to protect a lead. They gave a veneer of respectability to the proceedings but Downs will know they were outplayed across Sunday’s 90 minutes.
Mngqithi is almost certainly sorting through teething problems. Last season’s almost perfect campaign where Downs spectacularly lost only their last game winning their seventh successive Premiership title was an exception to a trend of the Pretoria giants often starting slowly.
Still, it was the insatiable hunger to win every game they displayed under Mokwena, with his workaholic thoroughness and the intensity his team showed striving for that, that made his departure seem a concern.
Mngqithi has a superb squad. Downs seem sure to find the stride.
For now it is Stellies for whom praise for their excellent model was earned from Mngithi in the build-up to the tie, who can celebrate a place in the final against Orlando Pirates along with the continued rock-solid game strategy and talent base they have, even with a few high-profile player losses.
Steve Barker’s team came out on fire and barely let go of the advantage they muscled after that.
By the seventh minute Stellies, with Jayden Adams’s passes from midfield picking out his front-runners and Fawaaz Basadien’s set pieces landing on targets, had four chances. Among those, Nigerian Ibraheem Jabar was unable to connect Ashley De Jongh’s squared ball and Devin Titus’ low cross from the right forced a last-minute stop by Mosa Lebusa at the feet of Mojela.
Downs left-back Terrence Mashego’s tough afternoon ended prematurely as he limped off, replaced by Modiba.
That did not stop the chances coming in from Stellies’ right, their best arriving in the 29th as Titus was again in too much space, his cross finding the free head of De Jongh to half-connect.
Sundowns got a foothold in the game in the last 15 minutes of the half, though whenever they threatened were denied by impeccably-timed challenges from Stellies’ super-committed defence.
If the good crowd of Downs fans in the stadium, and those watching on TV, were expecting their team to take control after the break, it took two minutes back to dispel that notion.
Titus streaked through alone to force a stop from February. The loose ball was worked to De Jongh on the right to square to find Mojela in the middle, who finished with February stranded.
Ribeiro and Modiba’s strikes against the post and some late saves from Stephens were not enough to get Downs back in the tie.