by Lukanyo Tshitshi
Image: from twitter @Masandawana, Peter Shalulile of Mamelodi Sundowns holding the MTN8 man of the match trophy after Sundowns's semi-final victory over Kaizer chiefs on Saturday afternoon at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria on September 23, 2023.
Mamelodi Sundowns successfully proceeded into the final round of the MTN8 competition after they defeated Kaizer Chiefs by 3–2 on aggregate in their second leg of the MTN8 semi-final on Saturday afternoon at Lucas Moripe Stadium, Pretoria.
The two Gauteng-based teams, Sundowns and Chiefs, came into the second leg of the semi-final fixture having drawn 1-1 in their first leg of the campaign played earlier this month at FNB Stadium.
The head coach of the Tshwane side, Rhulani Mokwena, made four changes from the starting eleven that played against Chiefs in the first leg at FNB Stadium. Coach Mokwena dropped Aubrey Modiba and Neo Maema onto the bench, called the Namibian hitman Peter Shalulile, and attacking midfielder Sipho Mbule.
He further strengthened the defence wall by recalling Grant Kekana and Musa Lebusa into the starting eleven in the absence of Khuliso Mudau and Mthobi Mvala, who are both serving one-match suspensions.
The return of Shalulile worked in the favour of the Tshwane side as he banged his return from injury goal in less than 30 seconds at the start of the game from an error of chief's goalkeeper, Brandon Peterson; he scored two goals for Sundowns to make it 3–2 on aggregate.
Coach Mokwena congratulated the Sundowns players after the game while taking out negative points from the game for his side.
Mokwena said, "...Congratulations to these boys, it can be an instruction but the players have to follow it, you know, so the game of football belongs to the players and congratulations to this group, eerh, super proud to be their coach..."
"Not easy at half time, could have been more to me honest but lets focus only on the positives, congratulations to this team, soo proud of them" he added.
Sundowns will have to wait until tomorrow evening to know who they will face in the final, the Orlando Pirates or Stellenbosch.
Orlando Pirates will welcome Stellenbosch on Sunday afternoon at Orlando Stadium for the second leg of the MTN8 at 15:00.
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