Mamelodi Sundowns left Polokwane City heartbroken after a thrilling five-goal MTN8 quarter-final ended with a dramatic 2-1 extra-time victory for the Brazilians on Saturday night.
In a match that produced momentum swings, missed opportunities and late drama, Sundowns needed an extra 30 minutes to finally overcome a stubborn Rise and Shine side that twice fought back from behind before conceding the decisive goal deep into extra time.
The victory at the Lucas Moripe Stadium marked Sundowns’ first competitive match of the 2026/27 campaign and kept alive their hopes of ending their long wait for the MTN8 trophy.
Polokwane City made the perfect start when Bonginkosi Dlamini stunned Sundowns by putting the Limpopo side ahead in the 6th minute.
The early goal unsettled the Brazilians, but Sundowns gradually found their rhythm and began putting the City defence under sustained pressure.
Their persistence paid off in the 30th minute when Teboho Mokoena found the equaliser.
Sundowns needed only a minute to complete the turnaround.
Antonio Van Wyk struck in the 31st minute to put the Brazilians 2-1 ahead and, for a moment, it appeared as though the more experienced Sundowns were beginning to take control of the contest.
But City refused to collapse.
The Limpopo outfit continued to create openings and were rewarded in the 60th minute when Tidimalo Molokwane restored parity, making it 2-2 and sending the match into a tense final half-hour.
Both sides had opportunities to settle the contest in regulation time, but poor finishing and determined goalkeeping kept the scores level.
Sundowns pushed forward in search of the winner, while City remained dangerous on the counter-attack and showed remarkable resilience against the African champions.
With neither side able to find the breakthrough after 90 minutes, the quarter-final went into extra time.
The longer the match continued, the greater the signs of fatigue became.
City had successfully frustrated Sundowns for more than 110 minutes, but their resistance finally cracked in the 113th minute.
Cassius Mailula produced the decisive moment, finding the back of the net to restore Sundowns’ lead and send the Brazilians into the MTN8 semi-finals.
For Polokwane City, the goal was a cruel ending to an otherwise outstanding performance. They had matched Sundowns for long periods, twice recovered from setbacks and came within minutes of forcing a penalty shoot-out.
Sundowns, meanwhile, will take confidence from their ability to survive a difficult opening match and find a way to win when the pressure was at its highest.
The Brazilians now join Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 semi-finals as they continue their pursuit of a trophy that has eluded them for several years.
The remaining quarter-final places will be decided on Sunday, August 9, when AmaZulu host Sekhukhune United at 3pm, followed by Kaizer Chiefs against Golden Arrows at 6pm.
For Sundowns, the road to MTN8 glory remains firmly on course. For Polokwane City, the painful defeat will be remembered as a missed opportunity after pushing one of South Africa’s most powerful clubs to the brink.