Mamelodi Sundowns’ unbeaten streak remained intact on Tuesday night, but the Brazilians would not have been overly pleased at being held 1-1 by SuperSport United at Loftus Versfeld.
Forget that they are now 13 points clear at the top of the DStv Premiership table going into the Fifa break.
Forget too that they are now on 42 matches without a loss, for Sundowns would have loved to win this match, if only to send a message to the rest of the league that they are intent on retaining their title at a canter.
Expectations prior to the match were that SuperSport could stop the Sundowns juggernaut from continuing with their marauding run.
After all, it was they who last won a match against Rulani Mokwena’s team – Matsatsantsa a Pitori having beaten Masandawana way back in September of 2002.
But it was not going to be, and that much became apparent early on in the match when Sundowns created the initial opportunity, with Matias Esquivel sending a free kick just over Washington Arubi’s goal, landing on the roof of the net.
There was then a long shot by Teboho Mokoena that went just wide of the SuperSport goal.
It was a warning shot that the visitors should have heeded for a little later, the midfield workhorse Mokoena opening the scoring in the 30th minute with his trademark thunderbolt from outside the box in a first half that could have seen more goals being scored.
A seemingly innocuous attack on the right side saw the home team knocking the ball about before Thembinkosi Lorch and Gaston Sirino combined and then set Mokoena up.
Way out of the box, the midfielder pushed the ball once and then smashed it hard with the top of his laces to send it sailing way into the net at the top right corner.
The flailing Arubi could only succeed in clutching at thin air as ball went in for Mokoena’s second goal of the current Premiership season.
Respect 🙌
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 12, 2024
Teboho Mokoena hasn't forgotten the people that gave him his break 💪#DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/o9RLsVMpYz
Mokoena attempted a second similar shot three minutes from the interval whistle, but Arubi was alert to the danger this time around and smothered the ball before handling it safely.
Though stunned by that Mokoena thunderbolt, SuperSport were swift to recover, and five minutes thereafter restored parity when striker Bradley Grobler tapped home the equaliser after the Sundowns defenders failed to clear a free kick floated into the box by Lyle Lakay.
Bradley Grobler equalises in a flash at Loftus Versfeld 💥
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) March 12, 2024
📺 Stream on DStv: https://t.co/TesYUfo62x pic.twitter.com/M8cWw9Bu8d
There were shouts for penalty kicks on either side, which the referee Xola Sitela inexplicably waved away.
Sundowns were first to claim a spot-kick when Lorch looked to have been hacked down by Bilal Baloyi inside the box, but the referee booked him for diving.
That's back-to-back #DStvPrem Man of the Match awards for Tebza! 🏆
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) March 12, 2024
We love to see it! 👏#Sundowns #DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/pl0uQ1NhtV
Two minutes before halftime, Divine Lunga sent Grobler tumbling down inside the Sundowns six-yard box, but again the man in the middle refused to point to the spot-kick.
SuperSport marksman Grobler dislocated his shoulder in the fall and did not return from the break, coach Gavin Hunt bringing on Terrence Dzvukamanja in his place.
The second half failed to produce good scoring chances, even with the numerous changes made by the two sides, and in the end, the 1-1 draw was probably the best result.
We take the #DStvPrem point and switch to #NedbankCup mode! 🔜#Sundowns pic.twitter.com/Qgp0bg6UJx
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) March 12, 2024