Kenyan international Brian Niang Mandela limped off as his side Mamelodi Sundowns saw off Marumo Gallants 2-1 in the Nedbank Cup final at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Saturday evening.This was the only remaining piece to their domestic treble having won the MTN8 Cup as well as the league title earlier in the campaign, and they did toil for it going the entire 120 minutes.Mandela has been struggling with injury recently and had not featured for Masandawana for close to a month, his last appearance coming in the semifinal of the Cup competition against Royal AM towards the end of April.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟏/𝟐𝟐 𝐓𝐑𝐄𝐁𝐋𝐄 𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐌𝐏𝐈𝐎𝐍𝐒! 🏆🏆🏆The Brazilians complete an unprecedented domestic clean sweep! 👆#Sundowns #NedbankCup pic.twitter.com/TxqpuDGr48— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 28, 2022 As a result, he missed five league encounters against Sekhukhune United, Kaizer Chiefs, Stellenbosch, and Royal AM but was given the starting nod in the cup final albeit with his fitness in question.The Kenyan defender was thus taken off after 42 minutes, and Mosa Lebusa was thrown in to replace him with Sundowns already leading courtesy of a Peter Shalulile strike in the 33rd minute.42′ Subs: 🚫 Brian Onyango ✅ Mosa Lebusa #Sundowns #DownsLive #NedbankCup pic.twitter.com/v9hN1lFqFG— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) May 28, 2022 Sundowns were seemingly headed for the win in regular time until Sede Junior Dion leveled for Marumo Gallants two minutes after his introduction with 15 minutes left to play in regular time to take the game to extra time where Thapelo Morena scored right at the death of the 30-minute long extra period to win it for the Brazilians.Gallants had to play the last nine minutes of the extra time with a man less after Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo was given his marching orders for a second bookable offense nine minutes after being cautioned.
