Football Review – Winners And Losers By Opta Jabu

Opta Jabu combs through the numbers to bring out the biggest winners and losers from this weekend’s domestic football action, with Mamelodi Sundowns showing no signs of slowing down, having a 100% record in the Dstv Premiership so far.

Winners

Stellenbosch – Winner

Stellenbosch ended the 2021/22 season in 4th position and followed that up with a 6th place finish in 2022/23. Aiming for yet another top-eight finish is nothing short of a realistic expectation for them. But at what point does the top 8 becomes a false ceiling on achievement? Can they do better than their best-ever finish? Can they get into a CAF position? In the absence of an outright title challenger to Sundowns, there is a slightly open door to becoming a CAF contender. And with the nearest “challengers” Pirates and SuperSport involved in the taxing CAF competitions, that door suddenly becomes wider. Yet, many teams can lay claim to that mantle – but something is happening in the Western Cape that makes excitement there understandable.

Here is a club that has kept faith in a coach for a long time, more than any other current side. Steve Barker is currently in his seventh consecutive season at Stellenbosch (4 in the Premiership, 3 in the 1st division), and he seems to be the perfect fit where he is. With a young, hungry squad, the team seems to be making significant progress even after losing key players last season. Underestimating them in the MTN8 semi-finals could be the downfall of many. They remain the only local side to win a game against Rulani Mokwena’s Sundowns, and on the weekend showed that they have a character in addition to charisma.

1 – This was the first time since their 2019 promotion that Stellenbosch came back from a half-time deficit to win an away league game (D4 L17 prior).

Gavin Hunt On A Friday – Winner

26 seasons in, almost all stats and records have been written about Gavin Hunt. But an interesting one is starting to emerge when it comes to playing on Friday. Last season, SuperSport played 6 games on a Friday and won all six of them. A niche day previously revered for Maritzburg United may have found a new home.

1 – Under Gavin Hunt, SuperSport has only ever lost one league game on a Friday (P16 W11 D4 L1 across two spells).

SuperSport At Home – Winner

They’ve been forced to change stadiums, but their home record remains intact. It’s 22 home games since their last defeat, an ongoing record for the club.

Sundowns – Winner

Praising the defending champions for a dominant performance against a Chippa side they have never lost to is like praising Siya Kolisi for successfully executing a rugby tackle. It’s what they do well, what they are paid to do, and what has made the world take note of them. Yet, even with a team like Sundowns, we should not run the risk of overlooking signs of progress. This is only the second time Sundowns have won their opening four league games of a PSL season, after doing so in 2010/11. The way they have started should not make us forget the streak they are on either, and the fact that they are on the cusp of another PSL record.

28 – Sundowns are unbeaten in 28 league matches, the 2nd best run by a team in PSL history.

Rulani Mokwena – Winner

He’s yet to taste defeat in the league, and should he continue at this rate, it is hard to see which team will stop him.

24 – Sundowns are now unbeaten in 24 league games under Rulani (W18 D6 L0), the longest a Sundowns coach has started a tenure without a league defeat in the PSL (21 under Mngqithi, Mokwena & co).

Jose Riveiro – Winner

He’s yet to taste defeat in Cup competitions, and should he continue at this rate, it is hard to see which team will stop him.

11- Jose Riveiro is unbeaten in all 11 Cup games since joining Orlando Pirates (W9 D2), seeing his team score 21 goals in this run & concede only five.

TS Galaxy – Winner

Sead Ramovic is the second longest-serving coach at a PSL club at the moment. That longevity is what Tim Sukazi hopes will be a key ingredient in returning to the Top8.

7 – 7 points from 9 to open the season is Galaxy’s joint-best return at this stage (7 also last season).

Losers

CT City Close To Records – Loser

Cape Town City came into this tie on a good streak and were close to setting some new club records. Defeat means they’ve never won their opening three games of a season (ended on 2), have never won five league games in a row (ended on 4) & have never kept 5 clean sheets in a row (ended on 4).

Eric Tinkler Against Hunt – Loser

If there is one match Eric Tinkler is happy to have played so early, it is the SuperSport one.

11 – Tinkler has lost 11 games against Gavin Hunt, more than he has against any other coach.

Morgan Mammilla – Loser

The pound-for-pound rallying war cry may have motivated his troops, but it looks like a mismatch after the fact.

0 – Chippa are winless v Sundowns since their 2012 promotion (now P21 W0 D7 L14), the longest any top-flight team has gone before winning a league game against The Brazilians.

Molefi Ntseki – Loser

It’s only three games in, but there is already concern among Chiefs supporters that their season is coming apart at the seams. Lest anyone forget, Chiefs are in the semi-finals of the MTN8 and could be trophy winners in the coming weeks. But with Sundowns awaiting in the semi, the idea of Cup glory rests on hope more than expectation.

1 – Only one chiefs coach finished a season in charge at the club having failed to win any of the first three games of a season.

Molefi Ntseki – Loser

Without VAR, officials can be forgiven for the wrong call when the margins are tight. There were several calls made in the last week that could have been classified as marginal, but the decision to allow Swallows’ goal to stand against Sekhukhune left a very bitter taste.