Shalulile’s Historic 130th Goal Lifts Sundowns Over Stellenbosch

It was a night of milestones at Athlone Stadium as Peter Shalulile etched his name in PSL history, scoring his record-breaking 130th goal to hand Mamelodi Sundowns a 1-0 win against Stellenbosch FC. 

The victory propelled Sundowns to the top of the log, while a resilient Stellenbosch side slipped to 13th.

From the start, the match was a back-and-forth affair. 

Stellenbosch, hungry to improve their standing, had the first clear opportunity in the 11th minute when Khomotjo Lekoloane put Devin Titus through on goal. The chance went begging, but it served as a warning to the league leaders.

Sundowns' response was swift, with a partnership between Kutlwano Letlhaku and Shalulile showing early promise.

Shalulile's quest for the record was a key storyline. He was a constant threat, and in the 17th minute, his powerful header from a Letlhaku cross rattled the crossbar, narrowly missing a spectacular goal.

HOW SHALULILE OPENED SCORING WITH HISTORIC GOAL

Yet, as the first half drew to a close, destiny called. A foul in the box resulted in a penalty, and there was no doubt who would take it. Shalulile stepped up with the weight of history on his shoulders and calmly slotted the ball home, surpassing Siyabonga Nomvethe's record and giving Sundowns the lead.

The second half was a tense affair. Sundowns brought on Iqraam Rayners to bolster their attack, and Letlhaku had a golden opportunity to make it two. But the young player couldn’t find the target. 

As the clock ticked down, Stellenbosch launched a final push for an equalizer, but their hopes were thwarted by a sharp save from Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams. Shalulile's moment of history was enough to secure all three points.