Sundowns target man Lucas Ribeiro scoops two awards for May. Photo: PSL

Sundowns’ Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso takes Coach of the Month award for May. Photo: Sipho Siso

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Caf Champions League perennial under dogs Mamelodi Sundowns’ head coach, Miguel Cardoso and star attacker Lucas Ribeiro Costa, have once again emerged on top of the Betway Premiership’s football food chain for the league closing month of
May. Cardoso emerged for the third time as Coach of Month while his midfield maestro-cum striker Ribeiro conquered two categories, Player of the Month and Goal of the Month.

It goes without saying that the pair can expect to sweep the boards as well when the Premier Soccer League’s annual awards ceremony is convened when Masandawana return from the US for the Fifa Club World Cup. Ribeiro has already bagged the league’s Top Goal Scorer award with 16 goals to his credit and closely followed by teammate Iqraam Rayners at 14 goals. He is also expected to bag the Player of the Season award and potentially the Goal of the Year as well and may be, as well as the Players’ Player of the Year for his league exploits for Masandawana throughout the just ended season.

This marks the third time this season that both Cardoso and Costa have claimed the monthly honours, a testament to their consistency and contribution to Sundowns’ successful Betway Premiership season. Cardoso guided the Yellow Machine to a perfect month, winning all five Betway
Premiership fixtures in May enroute to the Tshwane giants’ eighth consecutive premiership title.

The Portuguese tactician emerged as the best coach of the month, edging out stiff competition from Richards Bay FC coach, Ronnie Gabriel, as well as former Orlando Pirates coach, Jose Riveiro. Cardoso’s influential attacker, Riveiro continued his scintillating form for the recently crowned inaugural Betway Premiership champions and handed the brand-new trophy. The Brazilian star scored three goals in May.

The goals were in their 3-0 win over Stellenbosch FC on 11 May where he scored one, as well as a stunning brace against Magesi FC in their 2-0 victory of the season on their last fixture of the day. Ribeiro’s third honour was Player of the Month awarded to him ahead of equally strong contenders from his teammates, Iqraam Rayners and Marcello Allende, who were also outstanding and instrumental in orchestrating the triumph for the newly crowned champions.

In addition to being voted the best player, Ribeiro clinched the Goal of the Month award – his third for this season – for a composed strike against Magesi FC on Downs’ last fixture of the season. Final list of winners for the 2024/25 Betway Premiership Monthly awards: Player of the month for September/October went to Masandawana’s Ribeiro.

Goal of the Month was bagged by Stellenbosch FC’s Fawaaz Basadien in the period while Coach of the Month went to former Orlando Pirates coach José Riveiro. The November and December 2024 awards’ Player of the Month went to Mamelodi Sundowns’ target man Iqraam Rayners, and his coach Miguel Cardoso scooped the
same month’s coaching title. Kaizer Chiefs’ Mduduzi Shabalala picked up the target man award for the same period.

The January 2025 Player of the Month went to Andy Boyeli of Sekhukhune United, Coach of the Month was Muhsin Ertugral of Cape Town City while target man was Sundowns’ Ribeiro. For February, Ribeiro Sundowns was chosen Player of the Month and bagged the target man award while his coach Miguel Cardoso was Coach of the Month. The
March’s Player of the Month went to Elvis Chipezeze of Magesi FC and Coach of the Month was his coach Owen Da Gama of Magesi FC and the target man awards went to Azola Ntsabo of Chippa United.

The April award of Player of the Month went to Keletso Makgalwa of Sekhukhune United and Coach of the Month went to his coach, Eric Tinkler of Sekhukhune United. The target man was Democratic Republic of Congo international and Kaizer Chiefs striker Glody Lilepo.