Mamelodi Sundowns romped to their fifth DStv Premiership title win in a row on Wednesday, clinching the 2021-22 championship with four games left to play.
It was never really in doubt from the early stages of the season and underlines their superiority in the local league, reports supersport.com.
SuperSport.com looks back at their unprecedented five Premiership victories on the trot.
2017-18 SEASON
Points: 60
Goals scored: 49
Goals conceded: 24
Top-scorer: Percy Tau (11)
Sundowns eased to the title after finishing five points ahead of second-placed Orlando Pirates, securing the victory with a 3-1 home win over Ajax Cape Town in the penultimate game of the campaign.
It was a season in which the unlikely early pacesetters were Baroka FC as Sundowns lost three of their first six games in a sluggish start, but once they took over at the top after 10 matches, they never relinquished their position.
Having finished runners-up to Gavin Hunt’s BidVest Wits (60 points) the year before, when they managed only 57 points, Sundowns regained the title, though without the style they had displayed as they romped to the 2015/16 championship.
This was more workmanlike, but effective.
2018-19 SEASON
Points: 59
Goals scored: 40
Goals conceded: 24
Top-scorer: Lebohang Maboe (8)
Sundowns were embroiled in a tussle with Orlando Pirates that would go down to the wire and only be decided on the final day.
In fact, Pirates will still be kicking themselves, had they not conceded late to Cape Town City in a 2-2 draw in their penultimate match. They would have finished level on 59 points with The Brazilians and crowned champions on goal difference.
Sundowns went into their last game of the season away at Free State Stars knowing that a win would secure the title, and Phakamani Mahlambi gave them the goal that handed them the three points. It was a result that also relegated Stars.
CAF club commitments meant Sundowns were always behind on games played in the season until the final few weeks, meaning they at one stage trailed leaders BidVest Wits by eight points.
Going into the final two rounds, it was Pirates on top, until their slip-up at City allowed Sundowns to take the lead.
2019-20 SEASON
Points: 59
Goals scored: 43
Goals conceded: 22
Top-scorer: Themba Zwane (11)
For the second season running, Sundowns had to rely on their title opponents blowing it and this time it was the turn of Kaizer Chiefs to gift the league to The Brazilians.
It was a season that had a long interruption due to the Covid-19 pandemic and had to be finished in the Gauteng bio-bubble, so there were extenuating circumstances.
Chiefs led at the top of the table by four points going into the five-month long break, and never managed to find their stride in the bubble.
They had been 10 points ahead of Sundowns going into the final third of the campaign, but The Brazilians kept chipping away as they picked up wins and Chiefs faltered.
It would lead to a dramatic final day of action, where Sundowns needed a win against relegation-threatened Black Leopards to stay in the hunt. They got that in a 3-0 victory.
Victory for Chiefs against strugglers Baroka FC would secure them the title though, and despite taking a 1-0 lead in the game, they conceded with 30 minutes to go and the draw proved not enough.
Sundowns only topped the table for half an hour in the entire season, yet were crowned champions.
2020-21 SEASON
Points: 67
Goals scored: 49
Goals conceded: 14
Top-scorer: Peter Shalulile (15)
Pitso Mosimane had stunned Sundowns by jumping ship to Egyptian giants Al Ahly ahead of the 2020-21 campaign. Club bosses installed the co-coaching duo of Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena to the top post, assisted by Steve Komphela.
They were back to their rampant best, losing just one game as they romped to the title with a massive 13-point lead at the top of the table over second-placed AmaZulu.
It was tighter at the mid-point of the campaign as they led SuperSport United by just two points, albeit with a game in hand, but they put on the afterburners in the second-half and streaked away from the chasing pack.
The title win was secured with three games remaining as they defeated SuperSport 3-1, this in a season where the team had a refreshed look with a number of newer, younger arrivals.
One noticeable aspect was a much tighter defence – the team conceded only 14 goals in their 40 games.
2021-22 SEASON (After 26 games)
Points: 58
Goals scored: 50
Goals conceded: 14
Top-scorer: Peter Shalulile (21)
This season’s championship was secured with four games remaining, the second most in PSL history, after The Brazilians had claimed the 2006-07 title with five games left to play.
Sundowns have been utterly dominant this campaign, and have already scored more goals (50) than in their previous four title victories, while that same stout defensive showing has remained from last season.
They moved to the top of the table after round three’s victory over Kaizer Chiefs and never looked like being deposed from there. By the halfway point of the season they led by 12 points, which extended out to 18 at one point, albeit that they had played more games than their rivals.
Their 0-0 draw with Cape Town City on Wednesday that clinched the title drew muted celebrations, perhaps they have become so used to winning that it is expected.
They cannot break their own record for points this season (71), but can still put some more daylight between themselves and the rest to underscore their dominance ahead of the next campaign. – supersport.com
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