Contenders Triumph and Fall Defeated: Final Stage of Carling Black Knockout Tournament
Magesi FC's Exemplary League Cup Victory
Saturday saw Magesi Football Club stunning league heavyweights Sundowns with a thrilling 2-1 comeback to claim the League Cup! Despite Sundowns reaching the final undefeated and bookmakers giving them a 77% chance of victory, Magesi proved the doubters wrong, showcasing their mettle throughout the tournament.
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Magesi FC's Unyielding Resilience
From taking on Orlando Pirates, three-time MTN8 Cup champions, to defeating last season's finalists TS Galaxy and now Leopards, Magesi answered every challenge posed to them with determination. Their incredible run to the League Cup title was nothing short of a fairy tale.
1 - Magesi are the first promoted team to win any domestic cup in PSL history.
Clinton Larsen - The Master Tactician
Coach Clinton Larsen rightly focuses on team rather than individual accolades, but it's clear he's the driving force behind Magesi's success. After taking over two years ago when Magesi were relegation-zone candidates, Larsen transformed them from first-division strugglers to champions and now League Cup winners.
2 - Larsen has claimed League Cup glory against Sundowns twice, the second time being this year. He's only the second PSL coach to beat Sundowns twice in a League Cup final, after Paul Dolezar of Kaizer Chiefs.
Elvis Chipezeze - The Steady Hand
Though often criticized for his gamesmanship, goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze's performances and leadership cannot be ignored. Facing the most shots per game in the league, Chipezeze's experience was crucial in tight situations, such as defending a lead against Sundowns' formidable attack.
4 - Chipezeze was Man of the Match in all four matches he played during the competition.
Edmore Chirambadare - The Redemption Man
Eight years since his ill-fated stint at Kaizer Chiefs, Edmore Chirambadarre's now enjoying a redemption arc. His excellent assist for Magesi's equalizer was pivotal in their comeback.
3 - Chirambadarre has been involved in more goals this season (3) than he managed in two seasons at Chiefs (2).
The Power of Overcoming Early Deficits
Conceding first has become a trend in recent League Cup finals, but it often results in an advantage:
3 - The team conceding first has gone on to lift the title in the last three editions of this competition (2019, 2023, and 2024).
Sundowns - Finals Frustrations
With more finals appearances than any other PSL team, it's understandable that Sundowns have lost some finals. However, their disappointing 40% win rate in finals - the lowest among teams that have appeared in more than two finals - is a cause for concern.
15 - Sundowns have lost more domestic finals than any other team.
Breakdown of Sundowns' final losses:
5x Top8 (BP/SAA/MTN8): most
5x League Cup (Coke/Rothmans/TKO/CKO): joint-most (with Pirates)
5x FA Cup (BobSave/ABSA/Nedbank Cups): most
Manqoba Mngqithi - Room for Improvement
While losing to Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup final might be forgiven, conceding two goals from Magesi's known strengths - crosses - and losing to a newly promoted team was unacceptable. Sundowns have now lost more domestic games this season (4) than they did in the entire previous season (2).
0 - Manqoba Mngqithi has never won a game against Clinton Larsen as a coach: P5 W0 D1 L4.
- Magesi's unlikely League Cup victory over Sundowns demonstrates the power of overcoming early deficits, as the team conceding first has gone on to lift the championship in the last three editions of the competition (2019, 2023, and 2024).
- Edmore Chirambadarre, once a struggling player at Kaizer Chiefs, is now enjoying a redemption arc at Magesi, having been involved in more goals this season (3) than he managed in two seasons at Chiefs (2).
- Clinton Larsen, coach of Magesi FC, has claimed League Cup glory against Sundowns twice, making him only the second PSL coach to beat Sundowns twice in a League Cup final, after Paul Dolezar of Kaizer Chiefs.
- Elvis Chipezeze's strong performances, despite critics questioning his gamesmanship, were crucial in Magesi's run to the League Cup title, with the goalkeeper being named Man of the Match in all four matches he played during the competition.
