PSL Season Reviews: Part 4 (Team S – Z)

The final part of our 2023/24 PSL season review brings us to the end of the series. In the final chapter, we feature runaway leaders Sundowns, who cruised to yet another title once again. There was not much of a title race for the entire season, as Sundowns spent 290 of the 297 days at the top of the table this season. We also peep at their neighbors (geographically at least), and not points-wise in SuperSport United, and wrap it all up with a dive into The Rockets & Swallows’ seasons of mixed fortunes. Enjoy.

Sundowns

Last season: First Division

This season: 13th

Points swing from last season: +3

That’s now seven consecutive league titles and the scary part is that Sundowns continues to improve. This season, The Brazilians set a new record for longest winning start to a season, half-way points total, 20-game total, and effectively had enough points for the title after 20 games. In the end, they also set new records for points total by a team in a 30-game season, best goal difference, the biggest points gap between 1st and 2nd, and the biggest points gap between 1st and 16th. They painfully missed invincibility on the last day, losing to a Cape Town City side who had their own point to prove. The CAF Champions League continues to hover tauntingly in the distance, and a knockout trophy or two in the coming season may quench the appetite of those whose familiarity with the title has started to breed contempt.

14 – Sundowns have won 14 PSL titles, as many as all the other teams in the PSL combined (also 14).

SuperSport

Last season: 3rd

This season: 7th

Points swing from last season: -7

A campaign that promised so much at the beginning delivered very little in the end. SuperSport won 22 points in the first 10 games of the season and could have overtaken Sundowns in their 11th game. They went on to win a similar 22 points in the final 20 games of the season, in twice as many games. Only Swallows (3) had fewer wins in their final two-thirds of the season than Matsatsantsa (4). After opening the season with three straight clean sheets (a first for the club), defensive frailties haunted them in the latter parts. A run of 28 consecutive games without a clean sheet followed from the start of October until the end of April, also a first for the club. They arrested the slide in May meaning they just made the Top8 by a whisker – a mini-fightback to mirror the season.

20 – SuperSport United won 20 points after falling behind in the league this season, at least nine more than any other side.

Swallows

Last season: 8th

This season: 14th

Points swing from last season: -8

The two unplayed games in December were demonstrative of a club that found itself in chaos on more than one occasion this season. Add coaching changes and rumoured player strikes, off-field issues likely had a major effect on an underwhelming season for The Dube Birds. They contrived to lose 14 league games, as many as they lost in their first two seasons combined. If Swallows are to start flying again, something needs to be done about that home form. No team had fewer points at home than them (15), and they also conceded the most goals on their own turf all season (20). All this culminated in an underwhelming season.

-8 – Swallows had a negative 8-point swing from last season, the joint-biggest drop of all sides (Chiefs also minus 8).

TS Galaxy

Last season: 10th

This season: 6th

Points swing from last season: +9

The Rockets lost the Carling Cup final in December, but that may have been a turning point for the club this season. Before that, they had picked up just 15 out of 39 points and were languishing in 14th place. In the four months between that Carling Cup defeat and the Nedbank Cup quarter-final exit to Chippa, Galaxy won more points than any other side in the Premiership. Yes, including Sundowns. The defeat to Chippa in the Nedbank Cup quarter-final was a surprise and seemed to knock the wind off their sails. Two wins in nine followed, but Top8 was more or less secure by then. Not only is 6th their highest finishing position in the top-flight, 12 wins and 44 points are also record achievements for the club. The foundation for all this was a solid defence that conceded only 25 goals (4th best) and kept 14 clean sheets (3rd best), and some incredible home form.

33 – Only Sundowns (36) won more points at home than TS Galaxy (33).

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