Mamelodi Sundowns captain Themba Zwane has commented on winning the league title for the ninth time, stating that consistent victory is the club’s standard and has become a habit.
Sundowns celebrated their eighth consecutive league title after a 2-0 victory over Magesi at Loftus Stadium on Sunday, in front of their home supporters.
They had already mathematically secured the league championship on Wednesday with a 3-0 away win against Chippa United, making it impossible for second-placed Orlando Pirates to overtake them.
Sundowns were the first and last team to win the league title under the DStv sponsorship last year. They are also the first to win it under Betway, who replaced DStv as the league’s sponsor at the last minute at the start of the current season.
“It feels great,” said Zwane, who recently extended his contract with Sundowns for another year. “You know, for us at Masandawana, we never tire of winning; we just want to keep going and make history. Overall, we are happy as a team.”
This season has been another record-breaking one for Sundowns. They set a new PSL top-flight record for the most wins by a team in a single season (24).
Sundowns also became the first team in PSL history to win all their home league games in a season without dropping any points.
Their 3-0 victory over Chippa was the 13th league match this season in which Sundowns scored three or more goals, equaling their own record set in the 1999/2000 season.
Despite their success, Sundowns made a technical team change in December, replacing coach Manqoba Mngqithi after a slow start to the season.
Miguel Cardoso took over and has since guided the Tshwane giants to the league title and the CAF Champions League final. They are scheduled to host Pyramids this coming weekend in the first leg of the final before the return leg the following week.
Earlier in the season, players like Zwane, Khuliso Mudau, and Teboho Mokoena reportedly had disagreements with Mngqithi, who had initially overlooked them before they were reinstated to the team.
“This one feels different because, at the beginning, people doubted us,” Zwane explained. “I think we started slowly, but we managed to keep up the pace and strive to improve. We have been performing well since the initial few games of the league. We pushed ourselves as a team, and yes, we have won the trophy.”
Zwane, who has previously won the Champions League, CAF Super Cup, and the African Football League with Sundowns, suffered an ACL injury while on international duty with Bafana Bafana during the Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers in October.
The 35-year-old midfielder, who has played in 418 matches, scored 80 goals, and provided 60 assists for Sundowns, made his return to the squad in their win against Richards Bay last month at Loftus Stadium. Since then, he has been introduced as a substitute by coach Cardoso.
“It was a difficult situation for me,” Zwane admitted regarding his injury this season. “But with the support of my family, teammates, and the technical staff, I managed to stay focused and do what I needed to do.”
“I remained positive, and experienced former players like Sibusiso Vilakazi, Teko Modise, and Hlompho Kekana consistently offered me support, especially Vila.”
“He had faced a similar situation and was always guiding me on what I should do. I feel like I handled it well and managed to come back because I stayed positive.”