CAPE TOWN – Mamelodi Sundowns tightened their grip in the Betway Premiership title race with a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Orlando Pirates at a pulsating FNB Stadium on Wednesday night.
While Stellenbosch FC and Magesi FC played out a fiercely contested 1-1 at Danie Craven Stadium in an action that delivered intensity and momentum swings.
With the fixture relocated to FNB Stadium, the iconic venue was awash with black and white as well as flashes of yellow, as supporters from both camps turned out in numbers to create a vibrant midweek spectacle.
It was Sundowns who struck first, breaking the deadlock in the 36th minute through Colombian forward Brayan Leon. Latching onto a deep delivery, he fired a clinical finish beyond goalkeeper Sipho Chaine into the far corner, sending the stadium into a roar.
The defending champions doubled their advantage just four minutes later when Leon completed his brace, calmly converting after a superbly weighted pass from Aubrey Modiba to give Sundowns a commanding 2-0 lead before the break.
Pirates responded with renewed urgency after the restart, and their pressure paid off just a minute into the second half when Patrick Maswanganyi found the back of the net to pull one back and reduce the deficit to 2-1. The goal injected fresh belief into the Buccaneers as they pushed forward in search of an equaliser.
Despite the late surge, Sundowns held firm to secure all three points. The result sees them move to 35 points on the log, closing the gap to just three points behind leaders Pirates, who remain on 38 points at the top of the summit.
In Stellenbosch, the hosts drew first blood when striker Langelihle Phili found the breakthrough in the 34th minute, giving Stellies the advantage after a lively opening spell. However, Magesi responded before the interval, with Samuel Darpoh equalising in the 41st minute to ensure the sides went into the break level.
The result leaves Magesi in a precarious position near the foot of the table, with just 12 points from 17 matches as the pressure continues to mount in their fight for survival.
It ends all square on our return to Danie Craven Stadium 🤝
Stellenbosch FC 1⃣–1⃣ Magesi FC #HeartoftheCape #MoreThanFootball #StellenboschFC 🍇 pic.twitter.com/EmEeXLUxQt
— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) February 18, 2026
Image: @Masandawana/Twitter.
