Mamelodi Sundowns suffered a disappointing 1-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC in the second leg of their MTN8 semifinal at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday. The loss sealed a 2-0 aggregate defeat for the league defending champions.

Stellenbosch, who have been in an impressive form from last season’s third place finish, advanced to their second final in club history, with forward Bradley Mojela scoring the decisive goal at the Durban venue, capitalizing on a defensive lapse by Sundowns.

Stellies will now face Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final on 5 October at a venue yet to be confirmed.

Steve Barker’s side dominated the match from start to finish, outplaying a passive and error-prone Sundowns side. Despite Sundowns making changes by bringing back captain Themba Zwane and Arthur Sales included in the starting lineup, they struggled to match Stellenbosch’s intensity and tactical acumen.

It could have been more as Stellies created numerous scoring chances throughout the match on the break, with their goalkeeper Jody February making several crucial saves to deny Stellies later on.

The defeat marks a significant setback for Sundowns, who have been a dominant force in winning the league for the seventh successive year last term. The team’s performance in the MTN8 semifinal raises questions about their current form and ability to compete at the highest level under coach Manqoba Mngqithi.

When they lost the MTN8 two years ago to Pirates, it triggered changes in the technical team as Rulani Mokwena, who left at the end of last season, replaced Mngqithi as the head coach. It remains to be seen what action Sundowns management will do following this defeat that was fully merited by Stellenbosch.