Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Tebogo Mokoena spoke about how he concealed deep personal pain to become a key figure in his team's victory in the MTN8 final against arch-rivals Orlando Pirates on Saturday evening.
The Sundowns team defeated Pirates 2–0 at the fully packed Moses Mabhida Stadium. Mokoena scored the first goal in the second half, and Ikraam Reyners sealed the victory by converting a penalty in stoppage time.
Mokoena's contribution was also noticeable in controlling the midfield, especially in the second half, where he played alongside Marcelo Allende and substitute Thabo Sele. His overall performance showed why fans were concerned about his possible absence due to an injury sustained during an international match for 'Bafana Bafana'.
After the match, speaking to SuperSport TV, Mokoena revealed that he not only passed a late medical examination successfully but also had to hide personal grief to ensure Sundowns won the trophy. This marked the team's first victory in this tournament since 2021 and their first home cup title since 2022.
MTN8 Final
Mokoena shared his difficult experience, stating: 'It has been a terrible two weeks for me. I lost my grandfather, and shortly before the game against Guinea, my brother was stabbed several times. He is currently in the hospital. So I hope justice will prevail. I am happy, but there is pain inside me.'
Mokoena's coach, Miguel Cardoso, highly praised the contribution of his defensive midfielder, as well as the contribution of the team's number one, Ronwen Williams. Mokoena almost turned from a hero into a villain after putting the team ahead, but then conceded a penalty by pushing Yanelu Mbutumu in the penalty area in the second half.
However, Gampani Lungu failed to convert this chance, while Williams reminded the football community of his class by saving the penalty and preserving his first and most important clean sheet of the tournament.
Cardoso noted: 'Obviously, we needed a better performance from our goalkeeper. We know what kind of goalkeeper we have. We also needed better performances from our starting players.'
The MTN8 victory allowed Sundowns to secure its third trophy this year, including the prestigious CAF Champions League and the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup, which, according to reports, was the last match before the game in Durban. Cardoso hopes that other players will follow Mokoena's example by making sacrifices for the team when they are fighting for promotion back to the Betway Premiership against Richards Bay on Tuesday evening.