Underdogs Magesi FC caused an upset of biblical proportions after they defeated favourites and PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 to win the 2024 Carling Knockout competition at the Toyota Stadium in Bloemfontein on Saturday night.
Magesi continued with their giant-killing spree, this is after they knocked out Orlando Pirates 3-2 in the Last 16 of the tournament. They almost defeated Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership but Amakhosi fought and celebrated a 2-2 draw against the new kids on the block. Celebrations were expected to go on all night long in the villages of Moletjie in Limpopo, where Dikwena tsa Metsi, as the club is affectionately known, comes from.
Sundowns were the favourites and they were expected to give the minnows a thrashing in the final. But Magesi had plans of their own and kept on running, fighting, and they were rewarded with a victory in the dying minutes of the match.
As for Magesi and coach Clint Larsen, the Cinderella fairytale in topflight football continues as they ink their name in the history books of SA diski.
Building up to the game, the atmosphere was not as smokey as it should have been, given that it was a final and currently the best team in the country was in action.
Sundowns last won the knockout competition back in 2019 and were desperate to deliver it to Chloorkop, especially with almost everyone in the country against them, with Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates supporters also in attendance to witness what turned out to be a massive upset so far this season. It was clear from Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi’s starting line-up, as he fielded arguably his strongest team since taking over the hotseat at the start of the season.
It was probably the first time Peter Shalulile, Iqraam Rayners, and Brazilian star Lucas Ribeiro all started in one match, leading the line of attack.
As expected, Sundowns controlled the game and enjoyed most of the ball possession, while the home side on the day looked comfortable sitting back and absorbing all the pressure.
Rayners broke the deadlock in the 36th minute when he curled the ball into the back of the net, beating the overzealous Magesi goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze.
Magesi came out as a completely different side in the second half, as they realised sitting back was not an option, if they were to get back into the game. Indeed, their first attack in the game turned into a goal, when Tshepo Kakora fired a bullet of a header at the far post to send the crowd into a frenzy.
The Limpopo-based outfit grew momentum and piled up the pressure on the reigning Premier Soccer League champions. Larsen’s side continued to push forward, and their belief turned into a reality when an unmarked Delano Abrahams tapped in the ball into the back of the net from a well-worked corner, breaking the hearts of the travelling Sundowns supporters.
Visit SW YouTube Channel for our video content
