Mamelodi Sundowns roar Premiership title challenge with a 3-0 rout against Stellenbosch

In a commanding display that showcased their dominance in South African football, Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Stellenbosch FC 3-0 in a Betway Premiership clash at the Lucas 'Masterpieces' Moripe Stadium on Sunday afternoon.

The victory further consolidates Sundowns' position at the top of the league table as they chase an eighth consecutive league title, a feat that would cement their legacy in the annals of South African football.

With this outcome, Sundowns are well placed to secure their status as champions for the eighth consecutive season if they can either win or draw their next Premiership fixture.

They play Chippa United on Wednesday, at Buffalo City Stadium in East London, and very likely the team's cargo from Tshwane will conclude a few cases of bubbly for the post-match celebrations.

The champions-elect, Sundowns, treated their fans to an electrifying display of football as they delivered an overwhelming message of intent with three goals in a stunning first 18 minutes of play. This effectively ended the match as a contest.

The goalscorers were Lucas Ribeiro (6th minute), Iqraam Rayners (12) and Arthur Sales (18), the eventual ‘Player-of-the-Match’.

Each goal stemmed from fundamental mistakes by the Stellenbosch defenders, who seemed unable to cope with the pace and flair of Sundowns' attacking forays.

The drama started in the sixth minute when a routine back pass intended for goalkeeper Oscarine Masuluke went astray and ricocheted off the upright. The ball rolled perilously close to the goal line, and Masuluke’s instinct kicked in as he snatched the ball. Referee Eugene Mdluli deemed the goalkeeper’s actions warranted an indirect free-kick from which Brazilian winger  Ribeiro found the back of the net, after a set-piece feed from Tashreeq Matthews.

Moments later, Ribeiro, exhibiting exceptional skill and vision, was again in the thick of the action. This time, he laid on a no-look pass for Iqraam Rayners to double the lead, leaving the Stellenbosch defence scrambling to regain their composure.

In a compelling display of dominance, Sundowns continued to threaten their visitors, and Brazilian Arthur Sales was next to capitalise on a stray pass. His parting shot took a fortuitous deflection off defender Thabo Moloisane, and skewed past Masuluke into the back of the net (3-0).

This proved to be the total of Mamelodi Sundowns' goals in the first half and had implications for the ongoing Golden Boot race. It highlighted the heated competition for the prestigious accolade, with Ribeiro in the lead with an impressive 14 goals to his name. Rayners is closely pursuing him, having netted 13 times this season.

As the first half wound its way to the close, Stellenbosch failed to capitalise on a few chances presented to them. On the other hand, Sundowns enjoyed some incisive runs and clever through balls, but further scoring opportunities went begging.

Despite a plethora of scoring chances for both sides, the defence triumphed over the attack in the second half, and the halftime score remained unchanged. Both sides made numerous changes, but it failed to make the desired impact, although Stellenbosch showed greater improvement.

Following this setback, Stellenbosch find themselves at a crucial juncture in their quest for African football. This defeat could seriously hinder their ambitions for a top-three finish in the Premiership, vital for CAF qualification.