Mamelodi Sundowns September 2025 Updates arrive with the authority of a club that is writing new chapters in South African football history, and doing it while juggling rotation calls, injury scares, and legal headwinds. A polished 3-0 victory over Magesi FC lifted the champions to the summit of the Betway Premiership, and a midweek trip to Bloemfontein is set to deliver a landmark 900th Premier Soccer League game. Around that core, decisions on player management and player movement reveal a squad, and a club, bracing for a long season with eyes firmly on sustained dominance.
A landmark within reach in the PSL
Sundowns will become the first club to reach 900 league matches in the PSL when they face Marumo Gallants in Bloemfontein on Wednesday. That milestone comes hot on the heels of their 899th outing, a commanding home win against Magesi that kept their unbeaten start intact and returned them to first place in the Betway Premiership.
Their supremacy stretches beyond the current campaign. The all-time PSL table lists Sundowns at 899 games, 495 wins, 232 draws and 172 losses, with 1386 goals scored and 702 conceded, a points haul that outstrips both Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs. Pirates stand on 897 games with 420 wins, while Chiefs are on 898 games with 416 wins, a reminder of how long Masandawana have set the standard.
That 900th game will come just as Chiefs play their 899th and while Pirates navigate a congested schedule impacted by African Champions League commitments. It is a simple snapshot of a league era where Sundowns have turned consistency into culture.
Clinical win over Magesi that sent Sundowns top
On a bumpy Lucas Moripe pitch in Atteridgeville, Sundowns showed patience, then incision. Kutlwano Letlhaku opened the scoring in the first half, and Iqraam Rayners applied the finishing touches with a second half brace as the champions beat 10-man Magesi 3-0. Thapelo Morena was a constant outlet and provider, laying on the first two goals with trademark timing and calm.
Magesi’s resolve began to fray just before the break when Samuel Darpoh received a red card after two bookings for reckless challenges. Even so, the visitors fashioned an opening after the restart through Wonderboy Makhubu, who could not keep his effort down. From there, Sundowns controlled the tempo, switched angles smartly, and used their numerical advantage to stretch the game.
The result moved the defending champions from third to first on 14 points from six matches. Sekhukhune United and Kaizer Chiefs trail by a single point with a game in hand, setting up a compelling early-season chase that Sundowns have come to relish.
Rotation with purpose and early season load management
Coach Miguel Cardoso leaned into the depth of his squad against Magesi, a choice shaped by international travel and a tight domestic calendar. Teboho Mokoena, fresh from playing two full matches for the national team, was not in the match-day group, while Peter Shalulile, arriving late at night and showing fatigue, was kept on the bench to preserve freshness for a demanding run.
Teboho played two 90 minutes with the national team. As a coach, I need to manage the players in order to have them ready. We have games on Wednesday and Saturday and we will go like that until the beginning of October. Having a chance to rotate players means that we have trust in the other ones that play. There are no issues with Teboho and we will see him on the pitch in the next matches.
Cardoso also offered clarity on Shalulile. Not putting him in the line-up allows him to be fresh for the future, he explained, adding that the priority is managing conditions responsibly and picking the best configuration to perform. It is a reminder that selection debates can be loud, but the plans are anchored in the data of travel and readiness.
The Mudau situation and the right back pecking order
Khuliso Mudau has yet to feature this season as the club works through a contractual matter, although he has returned to the training pitch and the technical team is optimistic about a resolution. Cardoso stressed that reintegration will be handled with care because Mudau had a period of training alone, a phase that requires time to reach the level that supporters expect.
In the meantime, right back has been in steady hands. Morena has provided leadership and thrust, and Zuko Mdunyelwa has stepped in effectively, which helps explain why Sundowns did not rush Mudau back into competitive minutes. The combination of tactical trust and fitness protocols has allowed the group to maintain structure without compromising long-term player welfare.
Kegan Johannes and the search for minutes
Kegan Johannes could leave Chloorkop on loan before the transfer window shuts, with several clubs interested, including Siwelele FC. The 24-year-old has struggled to establish himself since arriving from SuperSport United at the start of last season, and his omission from the FIFA Club World Cup squad deepened questions about his pathway to regular football.
Despite Mudau’s early-season absence, Johannes has not featured in domestic action, with Cardoso preferring Mdunyelwa and the versatile Morena at right back. A source close to the situation suggested the club is open to a temporary move so that Johannes can play consistently elsewhere, a pragmatic step for a defender whose momentum has been interrupted by niggling injuries. For player and club, a loan could be the reset button that restores rhythm and confidence.
Lucas Ribeiro and the pending tribunal decision
The Lucas Ribeiro saga has shifted from boardroom corridors in Johannesburg to the desks of football adjudicators in Europe. Spanish La Liga 2 side Cultural Deportiva Leonesa announced that they had signed Ribeiro on a free transfer, after FIFA issued his International Transfer Certificate. Yet, in a significant development, Leonesa will hold off using the forward until a tribunal rules on the contractual dispute in the coming weeks.
FIFA’s release of the ITC does not equate to a ruling on the merits of the dispute. According to reporting, the governing body acted under new regulations that prevent local associations from clearing foreign players, a change designed to avoid delays in cross-border moves. Sundowns, working with their legal team and SAFA, have been advised to take the case to the football tribunal for a definitive judgment.
Before the announcement in Spain, Ribeiro still had a year left on his Sundowns contract, with club options to extend for two additional seasons. The case now hinges on the tribunal’s view, which will determine how the registration standoff is resolved, and whether the Spanish club can field the player in competitive fixtures. The stakes are clear, and the club will welcome a swift, authoritative decision.
Captain Themba Zwane and a cautious wait
Themba Zwane returned from a recent layoff to step back onto the grass against Magesi, only for his afternoon to be cut short by a minor problem shortly after coming on. Cardoso said the issue does not appear to be a recurrence of the previous injury, noting the club would conduct a scan to make a proper assessment.
There was at least one positive cue, the captain was able to leave the field under his own power, which offered a measure of reassurance. Given Zwane missed a large part of last season with a torn Achilles tendon, the medical and coaching teams will lean toward caution, just as they have with other high-minute players.
All-time table leadership and the wider context
Sundowns sit atop the all-time PSL standings by a healthy margin, a reflection of nearly three decades of elite output. Behind them, the historical picture includes consistent challengers and storied clubs, with SuperSport United and the now-defunct Bidvest Wits filling out the upper tier, and Golden Arrows, AmaZulu, Moroka Swallows and others embodying the league’s resilience.
This season also features three newcomers at the top level, Durban City, Orbit College and Siwelele. Their presence speaks to the evolving map of South African football, even as the title race again filters through Chloorkop. The numbers underscore the same story, Sundowns have found a way to refresh, retool, and repeat.
What comes next in Bloemfontein
The midweek trip to the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium brings both ceremony and challenge. Marumo Gallants await, and with them, the chance for Sundowns to celebrate 900 PSL fixtures with a performance worthy of the number. Cardoso’s management of minutes for Mokoena and Shalulile, the careful approach with Mudau and Zwane, and the competitive push from squad players all funnel into this moment.
Sundowns are unbeaten, back on top, and balancing the human rhythms of a squad with the steel of serial winners. In September 2025, the storyline is not only about results, it is about the craft of keeping a group ready, focused, and hungry through the grind of league, continental duty, and the unexpected twists that test even the most seasoned teams.
Key takeaways
- Sundowns moved to first place with a 3-0 win over Magesi, and reach their 900th PSL match against Marumo Gallants in Bloemfontein,
- Cardoso rotated after World Cup qualifiers, monitoring Mokoena, Shalulile and Zwane, while guiding Mudau’s measured return to action,
- Transfer watch centers on a possible Kegan Johannes loan and the tribunal-bound Lucas Ribeiro case.
Numbers that frame the moment
- All-time PSL table lists Sundowns on 899 matches with 495 wins, 232 draws and 172 losses,
- They lead rivals Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs on wins and points, reinforcing long-term dominance,
- The current season has Sundowns on 14 points from six games after beating Magesi 3-0.
