Sundowns player ratings in Top 8 cup final: Colossal Onyango stuns City with breathtaking saves

Mamelodi Sundowns finally lifted the MTN8 trophy in its current guise but had to rely on penalties (3-2) to beat tough Cape Town City after Saturday’s final at Moses Mabhida Stadium ended 1-1 after normal and extra time.

Downs won their first top 8 since 2007. The Brazilians dominated the opening three-quarters, opening the scoring through Thapelo Morena (24th minute), though even in that period City were always a threat on the counter attack. The Citizens equalised though Fagrie Lakay (75th), and piled on the pressure at the end.

TimesLIVE rates the Sundowns players:

Mamelodi Sundowns

Denis Onyango 9: When City did break through Sundowns’ defensive machine, Onyango was up to the save. And he then made an unheard of, ridiculous five superb penalty stops in the shoot-out. His only blemish was a poor clearance that ultimately led to Fagrie Lakay’s equaliser.

Khuliso Mudau 6: Sundowns’ fullbacks both played a crucial role tying up City’s dangerous wingers. On the right Mudau importantly stifled danger man Bradley Ralani, and he got forward effectively too.

Grant Kekana 7: Composed and big in the challenge — City’s chances mostly had to come around Kekana and certainly not through him.

Mosa Lebusa 5: Characteristically calm in defence. Hit the post in the shoot-out.

Lyle Lakay 6: Kept Craig Martin almost out of the game in defence. Thamsanqa Mkhize’s marauding runs from right-back for City meant Lakay could not overlap as much as he might have wanted to. Always dangerous on set pieces.

Andile Jali 7: He and Coetzee won the central midfield battle against Thato Mokeke and Thabo Nodada. Not as flashy as he once was — just experienced, calm and where he needs to be these days. Scored a slick penalty.

Rivaldo Coetzee 8: The reason City struggled to penetrate apart from sporadically for the first three-quarters was Coetzee with his telepathic ability to place himself ahead of the source of each attack. Got involved in the attack too. Could have been man-of-the-match if Onyango did not make five shoot-out saves.

Thapelo Morena 6: Ran hard and troubled City with his pace, though found Edmilson Dove hard to beat. Did well to drag a foot for a pass behind him for a harder-than-it-looked finish from Thabiso Kutumela’s assist.

Themba Zwane 6: Even not at full flow Downs’ creative fulcrum’s skills and eye for a pass are crucial to their attack. Kept City pinned back for the opening three-quarters, including striking the post.

Thabiso Kutumela 7: The thorn in City with his pace and running in the first half, before unfortunately having to go off at the break, apparently with a knock. His persistence in winning the ball from Taariq Fielies, and beating Fielies again, led to Morena’s opener.

Peter Shalulile 5: Worked hard and was a constant threat even though his teammates could not manage to get the ball into his feet for shots on goal.

Substitutes:

Kermit Erasmus (for Kutumela, 46th) 6: Kept the momentum going, and perhaps even increasing it with his intelligence on the ball, passing and shooting, before City wrested the advantage after they equalised.

Neo Maema (for Mudau, 84th) 5: Came on when City had taken the advantage and could not play a part wresting it back.

Aubrey Modiba (for Morena, 90th) 6: Lively off the bench and unlucky to have a decent penalty excellently stopped by Marques.

Sphelele Mkhulise (for Zwane, 90th) 4: Brought fresh legs for extra time, but could not make a significant impact.

Haashim Domingo (for Lakay, 114th) 4: Not much impact off the bench in the last 15 minutes of extra time and skied his penalty.

Sibusiso Vilakazi (for Coetzee, 114th) 4: Not much impact off the bench in the last 15 minutes of extra time and missed his penalty.

Unused substitutes: Kennedy Mweene, Pavol Safranko, Rushine de Reuck