Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has heaped praise on chairman Tlhopie Motsepe, claiming that the team’s success is largely due to the youthful leader, who succeeded his father, Patrice Motsepe.
This is after Masandawana lifted their seventh Premier Soccer League title in a row after walloping the Kaizer Chiefs 5-1 at the FNB Stadium on Thursday night.
After being crowned champions in style with such a commanding performance, Mokwena dedicated the trophy to the youthful Motsepe.
Sundowns wrapped up the DStv Premiership with six games remaining on their fixture schedule.
It was Mokwena’s second league title since he took over as head coach and his fourth overall since he’s been working at Sundowns.
In the 24 league matches that they have played this season, Sundowns have not lost a single game.
This is for you, chairman
Said an emotional Mokwena after the final whistle: “I want to dedicate this victory — maybe even the victory is not enough — maybe the entire season to the chairman of this football club, Thlopie Motsepe.
“I run out of words, and I am getting emotional. In the good moments, he’s there, and in the bad moments, he’s there.
“I have been feeling very, very low in the last three weeks, and he has been texting me every single day.
“And I just want to dedicate this league title and this big victory against a big rival to our chairman, Thlopie Motsepe, because he is an unbelievable human being.
“I wish I could be half the man that he is; he’s an incredible leader. He’s been so supportive. I hope he is watching. This trophy is for you, chairman.”
The Chiefs are crying foul over the questionable red card that was handed to Given Msimango in the 19th minute.
They are saying that playing with a man short gave Sundowns the advantage and that things could have been different if the red card was not issued so early in the game.
Second-half goals
Sundowns opened the floodgates in the 51st minute when Tashreeq Matthews tapped the ball inside the net after a pass from Lucas Costa Ribeiro. Matias Esquivel made it 2-0 after dribbling past a tribe of Chiefs defenders.
With nine minutes remaining, Matthews grabbed his brace when he made it 3-0 after slicing the ball into the net.
Chiefs’ youngster Mduduzi Shabalala pulled one back for the deflated Amakhosi. Ribeiro and Thembinkosi Lorch finished the routing with goal numbers four and five, respectively.
The Sundowns still have another trophy to play for. They will face Stellenbosch FC in the semifinals of the Nedbank Cup in Cape Town on Sunday.
