A dramatic finish at Mbombela Stadium saw Mamelodi Sundowns FC secure a thrilling 3-2 opening win against TS Galaxy FC.
Substitute Sphelele Mkhulise proved to be the hero, scoring a late double to turn the match on its head.
Head coach Miguel Cardoso celebrated the victory passionately, carrying Mkhulise on his shoulders after the final whistle.
As reported by goal.com, Cardoso praised the midfielder’s professional attitude and quality off the bench.
Cardoso noted that Mkhulise gave the team the exact energy and luck required to get over the line.
While the attacking output delivered three points, the defensive metrics tell a very different story.
Sundowns conceded from another set-piece situation. This follows a similar structural lapse where they surrendered two goals against Polokwane City FC.
Conceding four goals across two consecutive matches highlights a sudden loss of defensive fortitude.
Cardoso expressed his frustration, describing the sudden spike in set-piece errors as crazy when compared to their previous defensive records.
He stressed that fixing these organization lapses is purely a matter of restoring belief before facing Kaizer Chiefs.
For punters tracking early season trends, the Pretoria giants remain lethal in attack, but their defensive box protection currently offers plenty of target opportunities for physical opponents.
Check out our latest match insights and odds breakdown on bettors.co.za sports betting.