Mamelodi Sundowns opened their 2025/26 Betway Premiership account with a 1-1 draw against Chippa United on Saturday afternoon at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. It is Arthur Sales’s goal that saw the Pretoria-based side walking away with a point.
The hosts were assertive in the opening minutes of the match, testing Ronwen Williams a few times, but the goalie remained steadfast. Masandawana also threatened the Chilli Boyz, but the defence was knitted tightly, denying Downs an opener.
A big opportunity presented itself for Masandawana just after the 20-minute mark after miscommunication by the hosts in front of the goal. Iqraam Rayners caught a sniff of the ball, but he missed the target slightly as it went wide.
After being held for 30 minutes by the hosts, Bafana Ba Style finally broke the deadlock in the 31st minute. Tashreeq Matthews had snuck the ball to Sales, who didn’t waste time and tucked it under the keeper.
Chippa tried to level matters in the final stages of the opening half through a good run that left the Downs defenders trailing. It had come from transition, but Aubrey Modiba cleared the ball away. The same play happened again, and this time around, Chippa couldn’t get it right in the final third as the attempted shot sailed over the bar. This meant Sales’ opener separated the two sides at the break.
The two sides continued with their titanic tussle with no goals to show. Modiba tried to double his side’s advantage with a cut back after the hour mark, but there was no one to receive it. In the 65th minute, the hosts found the back of the net to level matters.
