Armed with a hatful of records after the latest DStv Premiership outing, the all-conquering Mamelodi Sundowns are set for a walk in the park in Saturday's clash against Burundi's Bumamuru FC.
Sundowns defeated Stellenbosch FC 3-1 at the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium on Wednesday night and in the process set a record for the longest unbeaten run in the DStv Premiership. It was their 32nd unbeaten Premiership match stretching back to September last year when they lost 2-1 to SuperSport United.
The record of 31 Premiership games without defeat was set by Kaizer Chiefs between January and November 2005.
The match served as a timely dress rehearsal for Saturday's CAF Champions League's second preliminary round, second leg fixture against Bumamuru, who were hammered 4-0 in the first leg clash.
Another Premiership record behind Sundowns' name is that they won their first eight games of the season, tying another Amakhosi record. A win in their next Premiership match will make them the sole holders of the record which will be winning the first nine games of the season.
Then, as the stuff of dreams, the 16-year-old Siyabona Mabena scored on his Sundowns debut. He joined the fray four minutes from the end and was handily placed when Sundowns ran the Stellenbosch defence ragged. Ace goalmouth poacher Peter Shalulile unselfishly slipped him a scoring pass when he could easily have netted himself.
In the process, he wrote his name into the record books twice. At 16 years, seven months, nine days he passed Siyanda Xulu’s milestone set in 2009, to Sundowns’ youngest scorer in the elite league.
He also became the youngest scorer in the league since the Premiership was launched in the 1996-97 season. The previous youngest Premiership scorer was Thulani Ngcepe, who scored on debut for Silver Stars in January 2007 aged 16 years, 11 months, 21 days.
On Saturday Sundowns will return to the Lucas Masterpieces Moripe Stadium to play Burundi minnows Bumamuru FC. After their 4-0 first-leg win Sundowns should emerge aggregate winners and confirm their place in the CAF Champions League's group stages.
After Saturday's clash Sundowns have a week's break before they meet Orlando Pirates the following Saturday in the MTN8 final against defending champions Orlando Pirates at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban.