Downs coach Miguel Cardoso keeps the winning traditions of his predecessors with his first championship and inaugural winner of the Betway Premiership trophy after seven or so months in charge. Photo: Sipho Siso

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South African and continental football powerhouse Mamelodi Sundowns is virtually the new champions of the inaugural Betway Premiership which makes the win an 8th title in a row for the side coached by Portuguese national Miguel Cardoso.

This comes after the thrashing of Eastern Cape province side Chippa United by a 3-0 scoreline at the Buffalo City Stadium in East London on May 14. The ‘Yellow Machine’, as Sundowns are known for their dominance of the local league and the Caf Champions League for more than a decade, came to this Chippa game needing a single point to be virtually crowned champions but got a bonus two points.

Masandawana was virtually crowned champions with a final game in hand which will be played at its home ground of Loftus Versfeld Stadium against Limpopo province’s Polokwane side Magesi FC on May 18.

The free-scoring Brazilians, the other nickname of the side from its jersey that resembles that of the Brazilian national side and its style of play, was crowned virtual champions after amassing a total of 70 points from 27 games in a 15-team league following the Premier Soccer League’s expulsion of Royal AM due to failure to honour fixtures following the refusal by players to honour the games due to non-payment of salaries.

Royal AM also fell foul with the South African Revenue Service over tax misdemeanours and all the assets and bank accounts of club owner Shaun Mkhize were frozen as a result. The failure to honour players’ salaries meant they also got into hot water with world football controlling body, Fifa.

Masandawana scored a total of 63 goals so far, conceding only 13 and holding a huge goal difference of 50 from 27 games, having only lost 3, and drawn 1. The Tshwane side is still yet to be officially crowned champions but its nearest rival, Orlando Pirates, with 55 points from 24 games, can go out and win all its four remaining matches but cannot mathematically overturn the points peak enjoyed by
Sundowns.

The Buccaneers has a highly lower scoring rate than Sundowns of 39 goals, conceding 17, lost 5 matches and drew 1 just like its league rival Sundowns but with a lower goal difference of 22 so far.

Sundowns’ foursome free scoring forwards of two Brazilian nationals Lucas Ribeiro with 14 and Arthur ‘Umdayisi’ Sales with 8, Iqraam Rayners tied at 14 with Ribeiro and Nambian Peter Shalulile with 6. All the statistics on Sundowns, Pirates and the players may change due to the games outstanding for both clubs.