Magesi stun Sundowns to win Carling Knockout

Magesi FC produced a stunning upset to win the Carling Knockout against Mamelodi Sundowns at the Free State Stadium on Saturday night. Delano Abrahams scored a late winner as the Limpopo side beat the Brazilians 2-1 in Bloemfontein.

The Betway Premiership rookies came back from a goal down to do the unthinkable and claim their first piece of silverware in top-flight football. Tshepo Kakora equalised for Magesi early in the second half after Iqraam Rayners had given Sundowns the lead.

ALSO READ: Sundowns coach Mngqithi wary of Magesi’s Larsen ahead of final

As expected, Clinton Larsen’s men parked the bus from the first whistle and hardly threatened Sundowns’ goal in the opening half. Man of the match Elvis Chipezeze made a couple of good saves to keep his side in the game against the star-studded Sundowns team.

Sundowns bossed the ball possession stakes but Magesi defended well to write their name in the history books of South African football. Magesi are only in their first season in the premiership after winning promotion from the Motsepe Foundation Championship.

Rayners opened the scoring with an expertly-taken goal nine minutes before the break. Lucas Ribeiro put him through on goal with a defence splitting pass and the former Stellenbosch FC man controlled the ball before placing it beyond the clutches of Chipezeze.

Something needed to change in the second stanza if Magesi had any hopes of upsetting the form book in the cup decider and whatever Larsen said to his charges at the break, worked like magic.

His team equalised with their first meaningful attack of the game shortly after the restart. Tshepo Kakora pulled one back with a header two minutes into the second half from Edmore Chirambadare’s cross from the left.

Kakora timed his jump to perfection to put the ball past Ronwen Williams. From then on, the minnows grew in confidence and kept probing on the break. They were rewarded with three minutes left to play after Abrahams popped up inside the box to score the winner from a Chirambadare corner.

Pressure will mount on Masandawana coach Manqoba Mngqithi who has now missed out on a second trophy of the season. The former Golden Arrows coach saw his team also getting knocked out of the MTN8 Cup by Stellenbosch earlier in their season.

ALSO READ: Magesi’s Larsen – playing Sundowns feels like playing Bafana Bafana

For Mngqithi, the Caf Champions League remains his top priority. Sundowns get their group stage campaign underway against Maniema Union at Loftus Versfeld next Tuesday.