Former Uganda Cranes captain Denis Onyango received lots of plaudits after the goalkeeper put up another strong performance on Saturday.
Onyango kept a clean-sheet as Mamelodi Sundowns beat rivals Orlando Pirates 2-0 at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.
Peter Shalulile scored a second half brace but it was heroic Onyango who grabbed the headlines.
“One must give credit to Denis (Onyango), and maybe that’s why he is Africa’s No 1,” Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Manqoba Mngqithi is quoted.
“He kept us in the game, and he made some sterling saves. Those saves now look like we had the game in our hands, but the truth of the matter is if he did not make those saves, the game could have turned out differently.”
Orlando Pirates assistant coach Fadlu Davids also said:
“They have a top, top goalkeeper. He should have been the Man of the match” – he made two, three top-class saves. The man-of-the-match award really has to go to Denis Onyango and that shows you the big big chances we had today.”
Onyango kept the scores level when he denied Bandile Shandu at the half-hour mark and ensured his goal was not breached when he kept out efforts from Tshegofatso Mabasa Kabelo Dlamini down the stretch.
Onyango who kept 15 cleansheets last season, will be hoping to erase a 17-cleansheet record held by former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Moeneeb Josephs which he set in 2009-10 season.
After missing the Amazulu game opener, Onyango is yet to concede in all four league games in a row.
Sundowns remain on top of the log with 13 points after five games and will be back in action at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Tuesday against Golden Arrows in the MTN8 semi-final second leg.
