Mokoena, Rayners fire Sundowns to MTN8 title as Pirates' record bid fails

[p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Sundowns[/a] gained some revenge for their 2023 defeat in the final to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Pirates[/a] and ended the Buccaneers’ hopes of an unprecedented fifth victory in a row in the Top Eight competition.[/p][p]It is a first domestic cup trophy for Sundowns coach [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cardoso-miguel/KEZ2LNG6/"]Miguel Cardoso[/a] and a second of the season for the Brazilians after they defeated Saudi Arabian side [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/al-ahli-sc/0MHmoCY0/"]Al Ahli[/a] to win the Africa-Asia-Pacific trophy in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup.[/p][p]It is Sundowns’ fifth win overall in the Top Eight competition and denied Pirates the chance to draw level with their bitter rivals [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kaizer-chiefs/fFZ2CGx0/"]Kaizer Chiefs[/a] at the top of the all-time winners list with a 15th victory.[/p][image alt="Match statistics" id="a000ca9f-7e2c-477e-923e-0395014ee049" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="60f71b40-6961-476b-a992-740a2692ccb2" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Cardoso’s side deserved the win. They created the better chances but were let off the hook when Pirates’ [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ghampani-lungu/QqjurSEP/"]Gamphani Lungu[/a] missed a second-half penalty.[/p][p]Sundowns took the lead inside 12 minutes, and it was a scrappy goal from Pirates’ perspective.[/p][p]They had several chances to clear and did not, and when the ball was poked through to [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mokoena-teboho/MFTeufFd/"]Mokoena[/a], the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/makhanya-bafana/xQiKyuF6/"]Bafana Bafana[/a] midfielder stabbed it home from close range. Pirates wanted offside, but he was clearly onside.[/p][p]Sundowns might have had two more goals in the first half but for the brilliance of Pirates goalkeeper [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/chaine-sipho/pO7ZpkDI/"]Sipho Chaine[/a].[/p][p]First, he saved with his chest to deny [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/morena-thapelo/n1idD8b9/"]Thapelo Morena[/a] when the latter seemed certain to score, and then he tipped over a shot from Portuguese playmaker [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/santos-nuno/AJtflCoH/"]Nuno Santos[/a].[/p][image alt="Match Momentum" id="c0c0fe66-377e-43d4-8029-96c748a301e3" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="1d266fac-1d07-4ac7-b3ab-acec4fba33a9" original-width="2160" original-height="2700" /][p]Pirates were awarded a penalty on 59 minutes when referee Abongile Tom adjudged that Mokoena had pushed [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbuthuma-yanela/Yau3xnYk/"]Yanela Mbuthuma[/a] over in the box.[/p][p]Lungu stepped up, but [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/williams-ronwen/lQRX0UzA/"]Ronwen Williams[/a] brilliantly pushed his effort onto the left-hand post and the ball went away to safety.[/p][p][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/leon-muniz-brayan/vHYMY9rg/"]Brayan León[/a] should have made it 2-0 when he was set up by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/matthews-tashreeq/tlUN637L/"]Tashreeq Matthews[/a], but side-footed wide of the goal.[/p][p]At the other end, Williams saved brilliantly from [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/masilela-simphiwe/xAgx8nVG/"]Simphiwe Masilela[/a] to keep Sundowns in front.[/p][p]Sundowns were awarded a late penalty that was converted by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/rayners-iqraam/8M2gNoUh/"]Rayners[/a] to put the seal on a deserved win.[/p][p] [/p][infobox id="584d9683-f419-4696-8cb3-c155213092a0" /]