Mamelodi Sundowns were made to sweat but booked a place in the 2026 MTN8 final with a 3-2 victory over Lamontville Golden Arrows in Durban on Sunday, setting up a decider against Orlando Pirates on October 10.

It is the dream final for the sponsors as Sundowns sealed their place on the away goals rule as the tie finished 3-3 on aggregate.
Here are the talking points from the match.

What. A. Goal
Sundowns levelled the tie just past the half-hour mark with a goal of exquisite beauty.
It was superb one-touch play between goalscorer Cassius Mailula and Marcelo Allende that set up the former to pass the ball into the back of the net and score his fourth goal in seven appearances (four starts) since his return to Chloorkop.
He is such a calm finisher. While others might have tried to blast the ball, Mailula simply picked his spot and coolly placed it there.

Arrows finally concede
The goal was the first Golden Arrows have conceded in almost 1,000 minutes of football, or more than 16 hours.
The last player to score against them was AmaZulu’s Sandile Mthethwa in a 1-1 draw back on May 6.
It had been nine clean sheets in a row since, a remarkable show of consistency at the back, and it took a truly extraordinary goal to finally break through.

Goal disallowed
Sundowns were perhaps unfortunate not to go 2-0 up when Khulumani Ndamane appeared to steer the ball over the line with his chest.
Referee Luxolo Badi and his officials decided it was handball, but replays did not back that up and The Brazilians could feel aggrieved.
Ndamane was incensed and received a booking for his protests, but you could understand his disappointment. VAR anyone?

Red card … or not
Sundowns looked as though they were reduced to 10 men when defender Grant Kekana was shown a red card by referee Badi, who thought he had already been booked.
Badi showed the Sundowns man a yellow for a tackle and then flashed a red, thinking it was a second booking, but soon afterwards realised his mistake.
He rescinded the red and Kekana stayed on the pitch.

Dion scores again
Soon after that drama, Arrows were level on the day and ahead in the tie when Sede Dion scored.
He was fed from the right by Ronaldo Van Neel and fired into the net from five yards, though his rising shot went in off the underside of the crossbar. It was close to a huge miss.
It was a third goal in as many games for the Ivorian, who was last year’s Betway Premiership Golden Boot winner with 14 goals, having scored last weekend against Sundowns in the first leg and in midweek in the victory over Stellenbosch FC.

Allende on target
Sundowns needed a goal and their Chilean midfielder Allende provided it with 13 minutes remaining.
The ball broke to him in the box and he drilled it in from an angle for his first of the season to book Sundowns’ place in the final.
Allende probably should score more given his quality, but does tend to come up with important goals when Sundowns most need them.

Keeper howler
Sundowns added a third through new signing Antonio van Wyk but Golden Arrows keeper Thakasani Mbanjwa will take the blame.
Van Wyk’s shot from outside the box was just to his right but the ball bounced over his attempt to save and into the net.
It should have been a comfortable save, but in the end the incessant pressure from The Brazilians paid off.

Late drama
There was still late drama as Golden Arrows won possession 40 yards from goal and when Philani Kumalo was played in, he slipped the ball past Ronwen Williams in the visitors’ goal.
The Golden Arrows players celebrated the goal as if they had all day, as coach Pitso Dladla urged them to restart, still needing a goal.
It is as if they were not aware that away goals would decide the tie and not penalties with the scores level.