It started well in the still of Soweto night. But it ended in a pool of sobs for the Bloemfontein Celtic players. On the opposite berth, it was a ball of funfare when Mamelodi Sundowns were hailed the 2019/20 Nedbank Cup kings. Meanwhile, there was a situation simmering on the sidelines. That concerns a Sundowns player – Tebogo Langerman (picture above). A cloud of uncertainty has arisen to which Celtic coach John Maduka confirmed that he was suspended for the match yet he was on the bench.

Sunday | September 13, 2020

Last night’s Nedbank Cup final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Bloemfontein Celtic  at Orlando Stadium in Soweto, south of Johannesburg, was a match of small margins.

It took Sundowns midfielder Gastón Sirino’s thunderous belter to decide the winners of the match in the 80th minute.

Pitso Mosimane, the effervescent Sundowns coach, was impassive when the goal was scored; and calmness carried on at the end of the match. A posture far detached from the familiar animated demeanors that championship wins usually trigger. 

Perhaps it had to do with Tebogo Langerman whose name was on the team sheet notwithstanding his suspension in the final cup match according to the PSL rule book. 

According to veteran SAFA (South African Football Association) former referee and General Manager of PSL Ace Ncobo Twitter handle – @AceNcobo:

“In terms of Rule 55.1.3, by being in breach of the NSL Handbook, specifically failing to comply with Rule 54.1, Sundowns is guilty of misconduct and the league DC will surely find them guilty. There are no facts to dispute the guilt as the player’s name is on the Team Sheet.“

He went on to clarify:

“As said before, any punitive measure will have nothing to do with the outcome of the match. Precedents show that Member Clubs escape with a monetary fine.”

Ncobo further states that it seems Celtic lodged a “complaint” after the match instead of a “protest” before kick off. It would have been valid if Celtic handed a protest to the referee in the presence of the Sundowns captain, emphasised.

In conclusion, Ncobo said:

“It therefore follows that, Celtic did not lodge a protest with the League and therefore there is no disciplinary protest that places the match and its outcomes under review.” twitter.com/AceNcobo/statu…

The match ended 1-0 in favour of Mamelodi Sundowns. The Nedbank Cup was the icing on the club’s impressive treble.

Thus Sundowns bagged the 2019/20 season-long Absa Premiership League last week and the Telkom Knockout Cup prior (in December).