Top 5 sporting moments of the weekend


By Neo Poho

The first weekend of April saw Mamelodi Sundowns become the 2022/23 DSTV Premiership Champions while the Soweto giants kept their CAF aspirations alive and the Proteas sealed their ICC World Cup spot.

1. Mamelodi Sundowns are the 2022/23 DSTV Premiership Champions

Mamelodi Sundowns players celebrating a goal in the DSTV Premiership

Mamelodi Sundowns were crowned the 2022/23 DSTV Premiership Champions on Saturday after SuperSport United played out to a 1-1 draw against Chippa United at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

SuperSport, who started the weekend’s programme in second place but have slipped to fourth, were the last team with a remote mathematical chance of catching up to their neighbours but after being held to a 1-1 stalemate, they can now only amass a maximum of 58 points – if they win all their remaining six games with Sundowns already on 59 points with seven matches in hand.

The league triumph means Sundowns have won the league title for the sixth time in a row and 13 times in total since the inception of the PSL in 1996.

With Sundowns playing Coton Sport in the CAF Champions League group B encounter on the very same Saturday, head coach Rhulani Mokwena congratulated his side before the Coton Sport encounter and spared the celebrations for later after the Coton Sport clash.

“My speech to them before the game was to congratulate them because they already knew that the title was in the bag. They need to be congratulated because in South Africa it is downplayed and maybe we are victims of our own success," Mokwena said.

2. Chiefs and Pirates victorious against Stellenbosch and Richards Bay respectively

Kaizer Chiefs players celebrating a goal at the FNB Stadium

First-half goals from Ashley Du Preez and Keagan Dolly gave Kaizer Chiefs a 2-1 victory over 10-man Stellenbosch FC at FNB Stadium on Saturday night.

Ibrahim Jabaar pulled a goal back for the visitors, but it was not enough to prevent Amakhosi from recording their first-ever home win over their Western Cape opponents and, in turn, their first double over Stellies in a DStv Premiership season.

Amakhosi broke the deadlock in the 11th minute when former Stellenbosch FC player Du Preez calmly slotted home from the penalty spot after he was fouled inside the penalty box by Olwethu Makhanya.

Stellenbosch were then reduced to 10 men after goalkeeper Sage Stephens committed a professional foul when he handled the ball outside his box.

The numerical advantage allowed Amakhosi to exert more pressure on Stellenbosch and it was only a matter of time before they would double their lead through their captain, as Dolly fired a shot in the 25th minute of the encounter that took a slight deflection before nestling in the net.

Amakhosi then consolidated matters until halftime however, Stellenbosch came back from the break rejuvenated as they quickly pulled a goal back in the 47th minute through Jabaar.

Despite being a man down, Stellenbosch came back stronger in the second half but they could not find the second goal that could have earned them a vital away point. 

Elsewhere, Orlando Pirates continued with their winning run after the FIFA break as they edged Richards Bay 2-0 in a DSTV Premiership clash at the King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday afternoon.

Orlando Pirates players celebrating a goal against Richards Bay

A goal in each half from Terrence Dzvukamanja and Monnapule Saleng secured maximum points for Pirates, as they beat the Natal Rich Boys for the first time having played to a goalless draw in their first-ever meeting last year in October.

Dzvukamanja leaped very high to connect with a Kabelo Dlamini cross as Pirates broke the deadlock with a well-taken header in the 32nd minute as the Buccaneers went to halftime in the lead.

With the encounter opening up in the second half, Richards Bay failed to capitalise on a defensive slip up which allowed Yamela Mbuthuma in on goal but he was unable to hit the target with Sipho Chaine off his line.

Saleng then wrapped up the win in stoppage time for the Buccaneers as he turned home a loose ball inside the box, the victory means the Buccaneers have now leapfrogged SuperSport United to go second on the log with 40 points.

3. The Proteas defeated Netherlands to move to the automatic qualification spot


The Proteas celebrating their ODI series victory against Netherlands

The Proteas climbed into the eighth and automatic qualification place for the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup in the Super League table, going above the West Indies and improving their net run rate with a second emphatic ODI win against Netherlands in three days.

Ireland is the only team that can squeeze the Proteas out of the automatic qualification spot for the World Cup but they will need to beat Bangladesh 3-0 in a ODI series in England next month to draw level on points with the Proteas.

South Africa's 146 runs victory over the Netherlands side saw Aiden Markram smash 175 runs off 126 balls to earn himself the man of the match and player of the series accolades.

Alongside David Miller who hit 91 runs, Markram and the former recorded a 199 runs partnership for the fifth wicket to help the Proteas post a commanding 370 runs for the loss of 8 wickets in their 50 overs.

In reply Netherlands were restricted to 224 runs as Sisanda Magala took 5 wickets while Markram claimed 2 wickets in the pick of the South African bowlers.

4. Max Verstappen claimed another Grand Prix victory

Max Verstappen after winning the Australian Grand Prix

Red Bull's Max Verstappen won the 2023 Australian Grand Prix that finished under a safety car after a crash-affected restart.

Verstappen led Mercedes-Benz's Lewis Hamilton and Aston Martin's Fernando Alonso home to set the podium as Red Bull continues to dominate proceedings in this season's Formula 1 championship.

Despite the victory, Verstappen believes the Formula 1 officials' red flags decisions turned the race into a bit of a mess and directly led to the crashes at the final standing restart.

A frenetic Melbourne race featured three red flags, the second of which instantly caused surprise and confusion among the drivers.

Kevin Magnussen hit the wall at the exit of Turn 2 and pulled his stricken Haas off to the side of the circuit a couple of corners later, initially necessitating a safety car which quickly turned into a red flag with four laps to go.

“Of course, very happy to win the race but I think the race itself towards the end was a bit of a mess with all the calls, I don’t think we needed that second red flag, I think that could have been done with a virtual safety car or a safety car at worst," Verstappen said.

The Formula 1 returns with the Azerbaijan Grand Prix on the 30th of April at the Baku City Circuit.

5. The Pumas demolished the Free State Cheetahs in round 4 of the Currie Cup

The Free State Cheetahs and The Pumas players in action during the Currie Cup

In another entertaining weekend of the Currie Cup, the Pumas defeated the Free State Cheetahs 61-21 to move to the summit of the Currie Cup log on 19 points.

The victory saw the Pumas remain as the only unbeaten side so far in the Currie Cup while handing the Cheetahs their very first loss of the season.

Meanwhile, the Griffons edged the Blue Bulls 32-28, in a thrilling encounter, the Griffons showed plenty of heart to outplay the fancied Vodacom Bulls and win the encounter.

The loss saw the Vodacom Bulls, who fielded a decently strong side featuring Jacques du Plessis and Wandisile Simelane, continue their winless start to the campaign and stretch their losing streak to nine in all competitions.

In other notable results from the weekend, the Griquas won 32-13 against the Western Province while the Natal Sharks lost 34-22 to the Golden Lions at Ellis Park Stadium.

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