Johannesburg (AFP) – Peter Shalulile was hailed by Mamelodi Sundowns coach Manqoba Mngqithi after the Namibian created the equaliser and scored the winner in a 2-1 South African Premiership victory at Stellenbosch.

Nigerian Stanley Dimgba gave the mid-table home team a half-time lead only for Shalulile to set up Uruguayan Gaston Sirino to level six minutes into the second half. 

With the match seemingly destined to be drawn, Shalulile nodded a cross into the corner of the net in the fifth and final minute of stoppage time.

Securing maximum points from the only league fixture of the weekend lifted leaders Sundowns to 39, four more than Golden Arrows and Orlando Pirates, both of whom have played more matches than the table-toppers.

SuperSport United with 34 points and Swallows and AmaZulu with 31 each are the other clubs in the championship chase entering the final third of the 30-round season. 

Shalulile has scored 14 goals — eight in the Premiership, three in the FA Cup and three in the CAF Champions League — since joining the Pretoria outfit at the start of the season from Highlands Park.

“I have never met a player like Peter when it comes to flexibility, strength and power,” said Mngqithi, who inherited the hot seat when Pitso Mosimane moved to Al Ahly of Egypt last September. 

“He is a very good professional that every coach would like to work with. Apart from group training, he puts in extra hours improving various aspects of his game.” 

The dramatic triumph stretched the unbeaten run of Sundowns to 24 matches in all competitions since losing their opening game of the season at home to Bloemfontein Celtic last October in a knockout competition.

Sundowns need to stay unbeaten for three more Premiership matches to beat the 19-match league record set by Kaizer Chiefs six years ago.