Mamelodi Sundowns co-coach Rulani Mokwena says it was worth waiting 14 years to claim the elusive MTN8 trophy after beating Cape Town City in the final.

The Brazilians ran out 3-2 winners on penalties after playing out to a 1-1 draw after extra time when Fagrie Lakay cancelled out Thapelo Morena’s first-half opener.

Sundowns keeper Denis Onyango was the hero, proving the difference between the two sides when he made five penalty saves to have his side crowned MTN8 champions for the first time in 14 years.

“Firstly, congratulations to Mamelodi Sundowns, congratulations particularly to the entire team, the technical staff, this brave group of players and to the senior management, to the Motsepe family and to the Yellow Nation, it’s been a long wait,” Mokwena told his club’s official website.

“You know they say, ‘Good things come to those who wait’ and it was worth the wait. It was filled with a lot of drama, some good football from both teams, some moments where we were under a bit of pressure and we had to remain strong, especially in the second half, but that’s because also they are very good side. They have very good players and they have a very good coach.

He added: “The good thing is that we trust our players, we trust Denis Onyango and we had a little bit of a chat before the penalty shootout, he’s a beast. Denis always comes to the rescue of the team, there was a big save even in the first half on transition and he kept us in the game and that’s why he’s one of the best on the African continent … time and time again he pulls through for the team.

“In the moment where we needed him to be brave and fight for the team, that’s exactly what he did and that sort of energy governed the rest of the group in believing and giving hope to the team and that’s what we look for in our senior players.

“It’s two lessons for us, particularly looking at how long this season is. The first one is that we have to learn that we are not a very good side without the ball, we need the ball, we live off the ball, it gives us enthusiasm and it gives us confidence. When we do have the ball we dominate matches and we give ourselves an opportunity to win football matches. The other one is that we just have to be a bit more ruthless, it’s a lesson we have to take out of this game, we [must] convert the chances that we create and not leave the game hanging.”

Mokwena also credited the Citizens for their impressive performance against the Brazilians.

“The turn for them was when they changed and they went into a back three when they introduced [Terrence] Mashigo and [Edmilson] Dove played a little bit as a left center half and they protected the half spaces a lot better, which was the spaces which we were finding in the first half.

“We had no access to those spaces and we were forced to go a little bit wider, by going we were then confronted with very aggressive pressing which worked very well for them, it would not be right not to mention how well they played. Cape Town City [were] a worthy opponent and that’s why we had a good final because we had two very good teams with very good players,” concluded Mokwena.