Throwback Thursday: Chiefs 4-3 Sundowns – The Mbesuma show!

Collins Mbesuma arrived in South Africa as a fresh-faced teenager when Kaizer Chiefs snatched him up from Zambian outfit Roan United following an impressive showing in the All-Africa Games when he tormented the South African defenders by scoring in both legs.

Read: Ex-Chiefs star striker admits to age-cheat!

Remember when ‘Ntofontofo’ ran amok over the Brazilians in the seven-goal thriller back in February 2005 with a hat-trick that later saw the Glamour Boys capture the league crown?

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Collins Mbesuma in action for Kaizer Chiefs against Mamelodi Sundowns in the Telkom Charity Cup. (Image: KickOff.com)

On that eventful day, 13 years ago, Amakhosi fielded a star-studded side, including the likes of the late Scara Ngobese, Patrick Mabedi, Cyril Nzama, Arthur Zwane, Rowen Fernandez, Gerald Sibeko and Thabo “Tsiki-Tsiki” Mooki just to mention a few.

The Brazilians, under the tutelage of Argentine coach Angel Cappa, got off to a great start as Paulus Masehe gave the home side the lead at a packed-to-rafters Loftus Versfeld Stadium inside the opening 10 minutes.

Chiefs hit back almost immediately with two goals from the deadly partnership of Mbesuma and David Radebe, to put the visitors 2-1 up just before the half-time break.

The late Ted Dumitru’s charges then found themselves in trouble when Ngobese was shown his marching orders with over 30 minutes still to play, which was followed by an equalizing goal through Godfrey Sapula for Sundowns.

Barely a minute after Sundowns scored, and with the home fans still in celebratory mood, the Zambian hitman scored his brace to silence the stadium. A third goal followed as Ntofontofo completed his hat-trick by putting Amakhosi 4-2 up.

Masandawana refused to lie down, pulling one back through Joseph Mthombeni for a nervy last minutes of the scintillating encounter which finished 4-3 in favour of the Naturena-based outfit.

It was a record-breaking season for the Glamour Boys who went 19 matches without suffering a defeat, on their way to claiming the league title.

Mbesuma, who had introduced himself in a fashionable manner in the PSL, captured the Golden Boot award after notching up 25 league goals (35 in all competitions), a record which still stands to this day.

His other accolades saw him win the Coca-Cola Cup, named PSL Player of the Season, the club’s top goalscorer award winner, Chiefs Player of the Year, plus three Player of the Month awards at Amakhosi.

Mbesuma’s goalscoring prowess at the end of that season, saw English Premier League outfit Portsmouth come calling, with his transfer to Pompey sealed in August 2005.