Category: PSL Stories

STATS: Al Ahly’s poor record in South Africa

Mamelodi Sundowns host Egyptian giants Al Ahly on Sunday

14 – Al Ahly are winless on South African soil in 14 attempts, drawing eight and losing six games away to PSL opposition since 2001).

It’s the longest run of winless matches by a team in the country, with Wydad AC of Morocco going eight matches without a win away to PSL opposition.

MOST GAMES IN SA WITHOUT A WIN

TeamCountryPWDL
Al AhlyEgypt14086
Wydad AC (Mar)Morocco8044
Al-Hilal Omdurman (Sud)Sudan6006
Horoya (Gui)Guines6042
AS Vita Club (DRC)DR Congo5023
@OptaJabu

7 – Al Ahly have been scheduled to play Sundowns the most of all PSL sides, with seven previous visits for Masandawana.

6 – Of the six defeats Al Ahly have suffered, Downs also dominate with three wins while Platinum Stars, SuperSport and Orlando Pirates

PSL OpponentPWDL
Sundowns7340
Ajax Cape Town1010
Platinum Stars1100
Supersport Utd.1100
Orlando Pirates3120
Bidvest Wits1010
@OptaJabu

Can they finally find a win in SA?

PSL Stats recap – 28 September 2023

Photo: @Masandawana

There were four league matches played during the week, which saw home wins for Chippa, Kaizer Chiefs and Sundowns. Sundowns’ record breaking heroics will make most of the headlines, but here’s a stats recap of all the midweek action.

5 – No team has kept more clean sheets in the league than AmaZulu this season (5, joint-high). Yet, no team has failed to score on more ocassions than them (5, a league-high).

12 – Only once before have Chippa United won more points at the end of Q1 than the 12 they have won this season (13 in 2014/15 under Kosta Papic and then Roger Sikhakhane).

1 – Kaizer Chiefs came back from trailing at half-time to win a league game for the first time since April 2021 v Sundowns under Gavin Hunt. They had not won in any of the last 20 such situations in that time (D2 L18).

32 – Sundowns last night set a new outright record for the longest run without defeat in PSL history, going 32 league matches unbeaten (W26 D6 since September 2022)

16y7m9d – Aged 16 years 7 months 9 days, Siyabonga Mabena became the youngest player to score a league goal for Sundowns in PSL history, beating Siyanda Xulu’s record for the club by 478 days (set in Nov 2009).

8 – Sundowns also equalled the PSL record for consecutive wins from the start of a top-flight season (8, level with 2014/15 Chiefs under Stuart Baxter)

5 – Stellenbosch have opened the scoring five times v Sundowns since their 2019 promotion. No other side has done so more than twice.

16 – Last night, Siyabonga Mabena also became the youngest goalscorer in the league in the PSL era. He (16y 7m & 9d) surpasses Thulani Ngcepe (16y 11m & 21d in 2007) as the competition’s youngest-ever scorer (league only).

2 – Devon Titus is only the 2nd player to score a 1st half goal against Mamelodi Sundowns in the 12 months (also Ryan Moon in April).

2 – For Sekhukhune, this was only the second time they failed to win a league game they led at half-time (also v Pirates in November 2021, otherwise W8 D4 L1)

@OptaJabu

19 September 2023: PSL STATS recap

Featured Image from: @goldenarrowsfc1

All eyes are on Orlando Pirates v Sundowns today, but there was some PSL action on Tuesday. Three games, eight goals, a red card, 10+ minutes injury time was actually a lot of drama for one PSL night. We look back at some of the key stats.

Arrows comeback

Cape Town Spurs looked like they were on their way to a first victory of the season when they led at the break. Going through the numbers showed how Golden Arrows had a terrible comeback record when playing away from home. This was the 109th occasion they went into the break behind in an away league game, and they had only won 2 of the previous 108.

3 – This was only the third time in PSL history that Arrows came back from a half-time deficit away from home to win a league game:

  • Feb 25, 2006, won v Maritzburg under Khabo Zondo
  • Apr 3, 2013, won v Chippa under Manqoba Mngqithi
  • Sep 19, 2023, won v Cape Town Spurs under Khanyeza

Arrows subs impact

Lungelo Nguse’s brace proved the difference in the comeback, meaning he has now scored in back-to-back away games. Coach Khanyeza’s decision to make the half-time was justified

5 – Arrows have now scored 5 goals from substitutes this season, more than any other side.

Away wins

It was a good evening for the traveling teams as well. All three matches played ended in victory for the away teams. This was only the 10th day in 27 years of PSL history where 3 or more matches were played on the same day, and all of them ended in away wins.

2022 – The last time this happened was on 26 February 2022, with Swallows (v Sekhukhune) also part of the sides.

Spurs still waiting for their win

1 – Cape Town Spurs are the only team yet to win a league game this season (P6 W0 D0 L6) & are the 2nd side in PSL history (after 1999 Bush Bucks) to start a top-flight season with six straight losses.

Bush Bucks had a lot of issues at the time (stadium moves), but it is important to note that they did not get relegated in that season.

Cape sides horror run continues

12 – Cape-based top-flight sides have not won any of the 12 games they’ve played across all competitions in a month (P10 W0 D1 L9, since Stellies beat Royal AM 3-1 on 18 August).

Photo: Golden Arrows

Five PSL stats from Tuesday 29 August 2023

SuperSport 0-3 Golden Arrows STATS

22 – SuperSport have lost a home league game for the first time since Feb 2022, ending a club record run of 22 home games without defeat (W14 D8).

1 – This is the biggest margin of defeat for Gavin Hunt in a home league game as a SuperSport United coach, in his 108th such game at the club.

2014 – This was golden Arrows biggest margin of victory in an away league game since April 2014 (4-1 v Platinum Stars), a run of 123 away games.

Orlando Pirates 1-0 Cape Town City

4 – Cape Town City have lost four straight games (all comps) for the first time since a similar 4-game losing streak that ended in August last year.

1 – Orlando Pirates have lost only one of 79 home league games in the last 10 years after scoring first (W64 D13 L1 since September 2013).

Follow: @OptaJabu for daily PSL stats

Five PSL stats ahead of the midweek games

There are two games scheduled for the midweek in the PSL with champions Sundowns travelling to KZN, while Cape Town City host Sekhukhune later in the evening. Here are 5 PSL stats ahead of the midweek action:

5 – Against Richards Bay today, Sundowns will be looking to win a fifth straight league game at the start of a PSL season for the first time in their history.

3 – Only three teams in PSL top-flight history have ever started a season by winning all five of their season opening league games.

  • 1996/97 Kaizer Chiefs
  • 2014/15 Kaizer Chiefs
  • 2002/03 Orlando Pirates

17 – Richards Bay are winless in 17 league games, the longest winless run by any PSL top-flight side since Free State Stars went 18 games without a win in 2016.

1 – In the last 12 months, Cape Town City have lost just one of 15 home league games (P15 W8 D6 L1 since August 2022)

1 – Sekhukhune have lost on just one of their visits to the Western Cape for league games (P5 W2 D2 L1 v Cape Town City, Cape Town Spurs and Stellenbosch).

PSL Stats: 5 stats from PSL midweek games (10 August 2023)

Matchday 2 of the PSL saw 16 goals from two draws, three away wins and three home wins. Here are some stats from midweek:

26 – Altogether, Mamelodi Sundowns are now unbeaten in 26 league games (W20 D6 since September 2022), the club’s second longest run in PSL history (28 games from Jan 2018 to Jan 2019). The PSL record is 31 by Kaizer Chiefs.

5 – Including the end of last season, Cape Town City have kept 5 consecutive clean sheets in the league, their best such run in the top-flight. Fortified.

0-0 – Chippa and AmaZulu secured their 2nd 0-0 draws of the season, only the 4th & 5th teams in PSL history to start a campaign with back-to-back goalless draws (also 2010/11 Free State Stars, 2015/16 Jomo Cosmos & 97/98 Vaal Professionals).

802 – The win over Royal AM on Tuesday brought Orlando Pirates their 800th point at home in the PSL (now 802), only the second top-flight club to reach this landmark (803 for Sundowns).

2018/19 – Kaizer Chiefs have failed to win any of their opening two games of the season for the first time since 2018/19 under Giovanni Solinas.

STATS: Five Stats from the PSL midweek action.

Sundowns returned to winning ways on Tuesday evening with a 1-0 victory at home to Richards Bay. Thapelo Morena’s goal was enough to secure the win, as Sundowns edged closer to the PSL record for points. It was the only game of the day. Below are five stats from it..

18 – This was Sundowns’ 18th clean sheet of the season. Only once before (19 in 2020/21) have they kept more clean sheets in a single season.

17 – Ronwen Williams equalled the PSL top-flight record for clean sheets in one season, set by Moeneeb Josephs (17 also in 2009/10).

11 – Richards Bay are now winless in their last 11 league matches (D3 L8), the longest winless run of any team this season.

21 – Sundowns (MD7 – MD27) have equalled their club record for the longest unbeaten league run within a single PSL season (21 also in 2020/21, MD1 – MD21).

802 – The win over Richards Bay brought Sundowns their 800th point at home in the PSL, the first club to reach this landmark.

PSL Stats: 5 stats from the midweek PSL games

SuperSport & Marumo Gallants played out a 0-0 draw in the only midweek PSL game on Wednesday night. The result took Gallants up to 13th place on the table, while SuperSport extended their lead ion 2nd by one point. Here are 5 stats from the game:

3 – Bradley Grobler has missed three penalties in the league this season, more than any other player.

19 – Altogether, 19 penalties have been missed in the league this season, as many as there were last season (also 19).

7 – SuperSport are winless in seven away league games (W0 D4 L3), their longest such run under Gavin Hunt, eclipsing 6-game runs in 2011 & 2012.

44 – SuperSport have won 44 points from 26 games, the last time they had more points at this stage was in 2011/12 (45 points)

2 – The only two teams unbeaten in the league since the start of February are Sundowns & Marumo Gallants.

PSL STATS: Five midweek stats from the DSTV Prem

Sundowns came back to draw 1-1 against Golden Arrows and maintain their unbeaten run. In the other evening game, Marumo Gallants came from a goal down to win 3-1 against Chippa and climb off the bottom of the table. Here are five stats from the midweek action.

16 – Sipho Mbule is the 16th player to score for Sundowns in the league this season, more unique scorers than any other side (excluding Own Goals)

8 – Sundowns have dropped as many points (8) in their last five games as they did in the 21 matches before, with six of those points dropped after being crowned champions.

3 – Ranga Chivaviro scored his first top-flight hat-trick, and is the third player to score a hat-trick in the league this season after Monnapule Saleng & Caleb Bimenyimana.

2 – This is only the second time Marumo Gallants come back from a goal down to win a league game (also v SuperSport in Nov 2021)

4 – Among top-flight players, only Peter Shalulile (19) has scored more goals than Ranga Chivaviro (14) across all competitions this season.

Five stats from the PSL Midweek Action

Sundowns 5 – 1 Royal AM

Cape Town City 2 – 2 Marumo Gallants

20+ – Cassius Mailula has been involved in 20 goals in all competitions in 2022/23; just the second player to have done so this season, alongside his teammate Peter Shalulile (22).

10 – Khanyisa Mayo (8G 2A) is the first Cape Town City player to be involved in 10 goals this season.

11 – This was Sundowns’ 11th straight home league win, a new PSL record, eclipsing the 10 game run held by Paul Dolezar’s Sundowns in 1999.

19 – Sundowns have picked up their 19th win of the season, equalling their win total from each of the last two seasons (19 & 19). Only once before have they ended a 30-game league campaign with more victories (22 in 2015/16).

DOWNS WINS LAST 8 SEASONSWonPld
2015/162230
2016/171630
2017/181830
2018/191630
2019/201730
2020/211930
2021/221930
2022/231923

10+ – Peter Shalulile has now reached double-figures for goals in four different seasons (three at Sundowns, one at Highlands Park), only the 3rd player in PSL history to do so (also Siya Nomvete & Daniel Mudau).

Players with 3 seasons of 10+ goals
Grobler Bradley
Khanyeza Mabhuti
Mbesuma Collins
Mkhize Phumlani
Moriri Surprise
Mphela Katlego
Mushangazhike Gilbert
Parker Bernard
Shalulile Peter
Young Grant
Zuma Sibusiso