DSTV Prem Weekend Review – Winners And Losers By OptaJabu

Check out our winners and losers from this past weekend’s DStv Premiership action by OptaJabu.

TS Galaxy – Winner

After five league games last season, TS Galaxy were bottom of the league table, a situation that led to the firing of Owen da Gama as head coach. A new coach was deemed a necessity and in came the unknown Sead Ramovic. Five games later, they were still bottom of the league table, with Sead Ramovic still settling into life “at the wheel”.

Less than a year later, The Rockets have won more points in the first three games of a new campaign (7) than what they managed in the first 10 games the season before (5). It might seem like baby steps, but they certainly are steps in the right direction. At this point in the life of their campaign, each and every step should be cherished, and Tim Sukazi can smirk like a proud father.

3 – TS Galaxy have won seven points from three games this season. No team has ever taken 7+ points from their first 3 games and been relegated from the Premier Soccer League.

Richards Bay – Winner

One of football’s unwritten rules is that you are not supposed to look at the league table until (at least) after the third game of the season. It’s around here that things begin to take shape. Richards Bay management would have looked at the fixture list and seen their August opponents listed as:

• Golden Arrows
• Marumo Gallants
• Sekhukhune
• Kaizer Chiefs
• Supersport

They would then have identified the first three as the games to take points, before facing “big” sides Chiefs & Supersport. The seven points from nine in the first three games may not be perfect, but it is certainly ideal. And with Chiefs and Supersport struggling to find their feet, Rich Boyz will be encouraged to maintain their place at the top of the table.

7 – Only one newly promoted side in PSL history (2001/2 Black Leopards with 9 points) has won more points in the first three games immediately after their promotion.

Plus, as stated above, no team has ever taken 7+ points from their first 3 games and been relegated from the Premier Soccer League.

Sundowns – Winner

They don’t head the Winners list this weekend (we have to give other teams a chance), but they could easily have been first on the list. But simply, this was a weekend of dreams – Bongani Zungu announced as a signing, ` 4-0 win over one of your nearest rivals and a debut goal for your latest foreign signing. All this, coming in direct response to a midweek league defeat.

10 – This was the 10th time Sundowns won a PSL match by a 4+ margin, drawing level with Supersport for most such winning margins (also 10).

Stellenbosch’s Youngstars – Winner

An impressive win against the only team with a 100% record brought a halt to their sluggish start to the season. Plus, they got another youngster on the scoresheet. Aged 20 years, 4 months, and 14 days, Antonio van Wyk is the 3rd youngest player to score a league goal in the league this season.

Brandon Truter

A reputation for draws could quickly turn into a reputation for comeback wins. For the second time in a week, Usuthu came from a goal down to beat their opponents. A feat (two comeback wins) they previously managed over two years has happened in just two games.

The First Soweto Giants – Loser

No team would ever be on the Losers list simply for losing against Sundowns, but Chiefs merit this for receiving a shellacking on the day. The game was much closer than the scoreline suggests, and Chiefs’ non-penalty xG was more than Sundowns’. But few will remember this in years to come. Chiefs suffered their heaviest ever defeat in a domestic game in PSL history, and their joint was heaviest in all competitions (4-0 also v Esperance in April 2005, and Wydad AC in February 2021).

3 – Arthur Zwane was a player in the 4-0 defeat in 2005, an assistant coach in the 4-0 defeat in 2021 and a head coach in the 4-0 defeat in 2022.

The Second Spweto Giants – Loser

Losing to Sundowns is one thing; losing to Chippa is another. Pirates are here because they missed so many chances, and could easily have won this game had they been more clinical. If the performance was a sign of things to come, Pirates fans should be optimistic.

Golden Arrows – Loser

1  – One point from the opening three games is Golden Arrows’ worst start at this stage of a PSL top-flight season since 2013/14.

They also had one point from three games that season and ended up relegated.

Cape Town City – Loser

Another team that did not take their chances this weekend. City have now lost four in a row (including one last season), the worst such run in their PSL history.

Gavin Hunt – Loser

One point from the opening three games of the season is the joint-worst total for a side coached by Gavin Hunt (also 2017/18 Wits). That team ended their season in 13th. One follower asked us – “Does he still have what it takes to be a coach?”.

You be the judge.

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