(Left to right) Mamelodi Sundowns cp-coaches Manqoba Mngqithi, Rulani Mokwena and senior coach Steve Komphel (Pic: Gavin Barker/BackpagePix)
While Mamelodi Sundowns’ unbeaten run in all competitions went up in smoke after 28 games of resisting defeat, they can draw solace from rewriting the history books on Monday in Sisa Dukase in Mdantsane, where they beat Chippa United 2-1 to become the side that owns the longest unbeaten run in the league.
While Mamelodi Sundowns’ unbeaten run in all competitions went up in smoke after 28 games of resisting defeat, they can draw solace from rewriting the history books on Monday in Sisa Dukase in Mdantsane, where they beat Chippa United 2-1 to become the side that owns the longest unbeaten run in the league.
That record was previously held by rivals Kaizer Chiefs who achieved that feat when they claimed the league in the 2014/15 season under Stuart Baxter.
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Masandawana are looking at the prospect of an invincible season, which is an unprecedented feat in South African football.
The Brazilians also stand a chance to become the first side to win the league crown four seasons on the spin following their hat-trick of wins on two separate occasions. The first time was between 1997 and 2000 and quite recently as they have kept the title in Chloorkop since the 2017/18 season.
The league and cup treble was, as you’d know, won under the leadership of Pitso Mosimane who traded his job to take up the hottest seat in African club football as the head coach of defending Caf Champions League Al-Ahly.
Upon his arrival, he found the league already won by Swiss-born coach Rene Weiler who made sure that no one could catch the Red Devils. “Jingles” went on to win the Egyptian Cup as the side qualified for the quarterfinals on the day Mosimane resigned from Sundowns.
He needed three games to guide Al-Ahly to the holy-grail as Weiler had taken the team to the semifinals. To be fair, some credit has to go to his predecessor for creating a well-oiled machine.
Can the same be said about his impact on the current Downs team led by co-head coach Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena and senior coach Steve Komphela?
The winning mentality was instilled by Mosimane as he picked up Sundowns lingering in the extreme bottom of the league table in 2012. He then led the side to five league titles, the Champions League, Caf Super Cup and a handful of domestic trophies.
The fair thing to suggest is that he – much like Weiler did for him – laid the foundation for Mngqithi, Mokwena and Komphela to thrive and they have taken the baton and ran with it, reaching feats that Mosimane did not.
The coaching trio are in line to shatter another record Chiefs if they lose just once . Under the leadership of the late Ted Dumitru, the Glamour Boys lost just twice on their way to claiming the 2004/05 league crown.
