Winners & Losers – PSL

On the other hand, the festive season started in bleak fashion for the conquered – including Royal AM, Chippa United, Marumo Gallants. With seven points separating 75% of the league (frim 4th to 15th), every point matters. Winners & Losers is a statistical review of the weekend action.

Winners

Polokwane City

They won’t dominate the headlines like the famous big clubs, but some space on the front page should be reserved for Phuti Mohafe and his charges. This is the quickest the club has ever reached 20 points in their top-flight history, and their home form has been a foundation for that.

11 – Polokwane City are unbeaten in 11 home league games since the end of March (P11 W6 D5 L0), and are the only top-flight side without a home defeat in the league in that time.

Arthur Zwane & Kanu Vilakazi

Things are looking better under the duo of coaches since they joined a club that was bottom of the league. They have now won back-to-back home league games for the first time since September 2023, and could build some momentum if they win against Sundowns in the next game.

2.8 – AmaZulu average 1.8 points per game since the two coaches took the reigns, the fifth best record in the league.

Cape Town City

The Citizens aren’t struggling in the most common sense of the word, but given their resources and stability in the top-flight, should be doing better than a point per game. City needed this win, as defeat would have dragged them into the uncomfortable relegation mire. They dispatched of Chippa as they normally do, but need more away wins if they ar to fulfil their obvious potential.

2 – This was only Cape Town City’s 2nd away win of 2024 in the league, after their Sundowns win on the final day of last season.

Bradley Grobler

The SuperSport United record holder is back and his goals have already secured six points for Gavin Hunt’s side. The Siya Nomvethe record (129) is the aim, and it’s certainly not impossible for Grobler to get another 14 goals before the end of the season. That will help him towards other records too:

55 – Bradley Grobler has now scored 55 league goals since turning 30 years old, with only Daniel Mudau (72) as the player with more goals in the competition after their 30th birthday.

Losers

Magesi FC

The newly promoted side have just one win from nine league games this season, and were just 10 minutes away frm a precious point away to a top-side on the weekend. They may need to ditch the Cup tactics, and be more adventurous in the league if they want more points.

16 – No team has fewer touches in the opposition box than Magesi this season (110), and they are also bottom of the league for big chances (7 in 9 games).

Kaizer Chiefs

“The perfect gift for Christmas time would be players that can strengthen the team…” – Kaizer Chiuefs coach Nasredinne Nabi after the 1-1 draw with TS Galaxy.

A clean sheet would be another idea for a Christmas gift for Nabi and his team. The positivity that surrounded Chiefs at the start of the season may have evaporated a little, but they are not a team in crisis. They’ve conceded the most goals in the league, but have also scored the second most. They’ve missed the most big chances in the league, but have also created the most. For every yin, there is a yang, but the clean sheet problem needs to be addressed as soon as possible.

15 – Chiefs are yet to keep a clean sheet in any of their nine league games this season. In PSL history, only 15 teams have gone longer without a clean sheet from the start of a top-flight season.