DSTV Prem Weekend Review – Winners And Losers By OptaJabu

A new Bet Central feature in the 2021/22 season will be a Statistical Winners & Losers section, highlighting some of the weekend’s highs and lows from a statistical standpoint. We’re continuing with the opening weekend of the DSTV Premiership that was.

Sundowns Trio – Winner

You may have heard from various outlets throughout last week different versions on how the coaching trio were not in unison leading up to this important game. The build-up to their 50th game in charge was overshadowed by those stories, and defeat on Sunday against Chiefs would have poured petrol on that already volatile narrative.

But 90 minutes and a 2-0 win later, Downs top the league and the headlines should be rosier now. They beat Chiefs in a home league game for the first time since November 2016, bringing an end to their joint-longest run of home matches without a win against them. The milestone match also brought out an interesting nugget:

60% – The coaching trio have won 60% of their first 50 games at Sundowns (W30 D16 L4, all comps). Only Paul Dolezar (66%) had a higher win rate in his first 50 games for the club.

Royal AM – Winner

A first clean sheet for Royal AM since April, and only the second clean sheet for John Maduka since January. The old Royal AM had played their last 10 matches in the 1st Division without a clean sheet. The new Royal AM followed that up with two games in the Premier League without a clean sheet. Clean sheets are the foundation for solid campaigns, and Maduka and co. will be pleased to finally get one, alongside three points.

16 – Royal AM picked up their first points over the weekend, becoming the last team to pick up a point this season.

Tshego Mabasa – Winner

Pirates were staring at yet another winless game before Tshego Mabasa rose to meet Vincent Pule’s header with 12 minutes to play. Another substitute appearance, another goal for the burly striker. He’s now scored more league goals for Pirates than Teko Modise (10), Lebogang Mokoena (11) and Benni McCarthy (10) did for the club and is level with Phumudzo Manenzhe, Excellent Walaza and the late Gift Leremi (all 13). This is not intended as a criticism of any of these players, but, remarkably, Mabasa has so many goals when he has started and completed five league games for Pirates.

92 – Mabasa has averaged a goal every 92 minutes for Pirates in the league since he joined the club three seasons ago. To put that in context, Peter Shalulile averages a goal every 148 minutes while Bradley Grobler has a goal every 158 minutes in the same period.

Happy Jele – Winner

400 appearances for the Buccaneers captain, making him the first player in Pirates PSL history to reach the milestone. If the win was the icing on the cake, then a clean sheet for the skipper was those little metal balls on the icing that threaten to break your teeth. Congratulations.

Ernst Middendorp – Winner

The story of Maritzburg last season was one of an overreliance on Thabiso Kutumela. The striker scored 44% of the team’s goals, the highest proportion of any player at any club. In his absence, Ernst Middendorp has to find a way to replace both his goals and influence, and he must do that fast. Speaking before the game, his message was one of patience and how his focus is on rebuilding a side that was decimated in the transfer window. 

“Give us several games, seven or eight, and see where we are sitting – what could we do that could turn around – but not after two games.”

Yet, this is an unforgiving league and solutions are needed in the short-term to avoid uncomfortable relegation battles in the long. The German will be relieved to get his first win, especially because it lifts them off the bottom of the table.

Chibuike Ohizu – Winners

Three goals in two games. The Nigerian is so far enjoying his PSL life.

Kaizer Chiefs – Losers

The recruitment of Gavin Hunt was supposed to be a simple problem-solving exercise. A man with experience in winning titles joins a side that desperately needed to win them. The recruitment of Stuart Baxter was even more specific. of A man who’d won titles FOR CHIEFS joining a Chiefs side desperate for titles. The first did not end well and only five games in, the second has not shown early signs of promise.

Stuart Baxter – Loser

Baxter’s title-winning sides of old were renowned for their defensive prowess. His final season at Chiefs saw them keep 19 clean sheets in the league – the second-best record in PSL history. Five games into his new spell, his new side has already conceded eight goals, keeping a single clean sheet against TS Galaxy.

It’s all good and well that they’re recreating the famous CBD upfront. But for all those talents, all that goes out the window when you’re leaking goals at the back. Baxter may have valid reasons for not playing the reigning Defender of the Season Njabulo Ngcobo, but that decision starts to look more questionable as the games and the lack of clean sheets continues.

4 – Baxter’s Chiefs have conceded more goals against Sundowns in two matches of his second spell (4) than they did in the last six matches of his first spell (3).

CAF Representatives – Losers

AmaZulu and Marumo Gallants became the 18th and 19th PSL sides to represent South Africa in CAF competitions. Both sides lost their respective games, and now have to fight to overturn first-leg deficits this coming weekend. The CAF five-year ranking system means Sundowns 2015/16 Champions League win will not be factored into the latest ranking system, so the country needs more positive results on the continental stage.

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