DSTV Premiership Fixtures | The Weekend Review by Opta Jabu

Sekhukhune United are second on the log after their 1-0 win over Royal AM, Marumo Gallants defeats Supersport United make the list of winners, log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns were held in a 0-0 draw in Cape Town stadium. Kaizer Chiefs and TS Galaxy were the victors on Sunday. Check out our winners and losers from the DSTV Premiership by OptaJabu.

Sekhukhune United – Winner

Many of us are guilty of undermining Sekhukhune at the start of the season. Their opening day defeat to Chippa strengthened suspicions that they would struggle in the top-flight, but they have proven many people wrong. Only Sundowns (8) have won more matches since the start of the season than Sekhukhune (6), who lie comfortably in 3rd place, now just ten points from the 30 point mark considered the ‘safety zone. Top-flight life can get complicated if you’re left to chase everyone else, but early season momentum relieves unnecessary pressure & allows teams an opportunity to play with the handbrake off.

2 – Only two newly-promoted sides in PSL history have won more points after 11 games of the season than Sekhukhune has in this campaign (20) – Swallows FC 2020/21 (25) and Free State Stars 2007/8 (21).

Both sides finished in the Top 8 in those seasons.

Stuart Baxter – Winner

One win in the opening six games of the season has been followed by one defeat in five for Stuart Baxter. This was a first 1-0 win for Baxter this season – a throwback to the 2014/15 season when his Chiefs side won 10 matches of the season by a 1-0 scoreline (a PSL record). Once again, Baxter stuck to his trusted XI as long as possible, only making his first sub with 15 minutes left. His trust was repaid.

66 – Chiefs’ average time to make the first sub is the 66th minute, the latest of all sides.

Kaizer Chiefs – Winner

Since the last international break, Chiefs have won the joint-most matches (4), collected the joint-most points (12), and scored the most goals (9) of all top-flight sides.

Bernard Parker – Winner

Three goals in four games for Parker, who now needs only two goals to become the first Chiefs player to score 50 league goals in the PSL era. His Chiefs career seems reinvigorated, and Chiefs will be hoping this form continues.

26 – Bernard Parker’s winner against Maritzburg was his 26th league goal scored away from home for the club. No Chiefs player has scored more on the road in the PSL (Siphiwe Tshabalala also 26).

Kurt Lentjies – Winner

Having waited exactly three months since their last win, and almost two months since their last goal, Chippa finally got both over the weekend. Kurt Lentjies was taking charge of his first game since Gavin Hunt’s suspension, and it coincided with a long-awaited three points.

Marumo Gallents – Winner

Gallants are winners, not just because they won their first game of the season, but for how they managed that win. Only five teams since the start of 2015/16 have managed to come back from conceding first and win against Supersport in the league.

Wits, Pirates, and Chiefs are expected members on that list. Royal AM and Marumo Gallants have successfully crashed that party.

Amazulu – Winner

It’s not the Desmond (2-2 draw) that puts AmaZulu among the winners for the weekend. It’s the character they showed to come from 2-0 down so late and take home something.

2 – The last time AmaZulu came from trailing 2-0 down in the second half to get a point was four years ago this week.

They were also in the Western Cape, playing Ajax Cape Town (25 November 2007).

Golden Arrowns – Winner

Arrows were the last side to collect a first clean sheet this season. Since then, they have had three in a row.

1 – This is the first time in Arrows’ top-flight history they have been involved in three consecutive 0-0 draws.

Stellenbosch – Loser

A draw against last season’s runners-up and CAF participants would normally be a positive thing for Stellenbosch. But in this instance, it isn’t. Stellenbosch was cruising at 2-0 with 15 minutes to play but gave away the two-goal lead. The loss of concentration is exemplified in how they conceded the second goal, allowing Keagan Buchanan to score directly from a corner. If they are to maintain their flying start to the season, they’ll need to manage games better than this.

1 – This was the first time in Stellenbosch’s top-flight history that they led by two goals but ended up without a win.

Orlando Pirates – Loser

The nondescript season continues for Orlando Pirates, who racked up another 0-0 draw this past weekend. Our weekend guide hinted at a lack of goals in this fixture, and the teams did not disappoint. It’s five seasons in a row now that a Pirates-Arrows fixture ended 0-0.

3 – Pirates have been involved in three goalless draws this season, as many as they managed throughout all of last season (3). Mundane.

Supersport United – Loser

2 – Supersport has lost their last two matches where they opened the scoring, having taken 88 matches since October 2016 to lose two games from a similar position.

Swallows FC – Loser

Wins for TS Galaxy and Marumo Gallants meant Swallows FC were sucked back into the relegation zone, and they could be bottom of the table the next time they kick-off.

0 – No team in PSL history has scored fewer goals after 11 games of a season than misfiring Swallows FC in 2021/22.

Stadium Management – Loser

It’s 2021, and the professional soccer league is still disrupted by floodlight issues.

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