STATS: Shalulile the workaholic

One of the unstated benefits of joining Sundowns is that you get to play many games as they often get deep runs in many competitions. In fact, you actually get a chance to play on every day of the week. Peter Shalulile has found this out in the last two seasons, as Sundowns have played at least once on each weekday for the second successive season.

100% – Indeed, Sundowns have played a game on all seven days of the week this season, the 11th time this has happened for them in the PSL:

Games played by weekday:

Sunday: 3 games played, Monday: 1, Tuesday: 5, Wednesday: 4, Thursday: 1, Friday: 6, Saturday: 11.

Talk about being busy.

Not only have theyt played a game on every day of the week, they have also won a game on each day of the week this season, only the 5th time this has happened for them in the PSL.

Wins by weekday:

Sunday: 3 wins, Monday:1, Tuesday:5, Wednesday:3, Thursday:1, Friday: 5, Saturday:7

Which brings us to hat-trick hero Peter Shalulile.

7 – The hat-trick v Marumo Gallants represented Peter Shalulile’s first goals scored on a Thursday for a PSL club, meaning he’s now scored at least once on all seven days of the week.

The treble also took Shalulile to 94 goals for top-flight clubs (27 at Highlands Park & 67 for Sundowns all comps).

Unsurprisingly, most of his goals have come on a Saturday (30), with the rest scattered across the week.

Sunday: 16 goals, Monday: 4, Tuesday: 14, Wednesday: 21, Thursday: 3 (NEW!!), Friday: 6.

The 100-goal landmark looks very close for him now, but even if he gets there, he will still have this one challenge:

Kelechi Iheanacho is the only player in Premier League history to score a goal on all seven days of the week within a single season in the competition.

Five stats: Dan Malesela’s at Marumo Gallants

Dan Malesela has been placed on special leave at Marumo Gallants, in what seems to be a kind way to relive him of his coaching duties. He may yet come back – who knows, but here are 5 stats that summarise his 4 month stint.

Dan Malesela first arrived to fanfare

1 – Marumo won their first game of the season on Dan Malesela’s return.

1 – The team lost one of its first four games under him (W2 D1 L1), with that loss coming against Sundowns.

But it has gone very wrong 

7 – No team has lost as many games in the league since he joined Maumo Gallants (7).

12 – The Pirates game was his 12th game since he joined the club in October, a contrast to his first 12 games in his last spell.

Last season when he joinedThis season when he joined
Games1212
Wins72
Draws33
Losses27
Points249
Points Per Game2.00.75

What could be next?

0 – Malesela is yet to start & finish a PSL season as a coach.

8 – In the time that he was at Marumo Gallants, his previous club (Royal AM) won less points than he did (8 to 9).

Five PSL STATS: Half-season review

The PSL has reached the half-way stage, and here are some stats to help review where things currently stands. Sundowns are cruising at the top of the table, having equalled the halfway point record, while Richards Bay have been impressive in their first season at the top.

12 – Sundowns are the first team in PSL history to win as many as 12 games at the half-way stage of a 16 team PSL season.

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37 – 37 points at the half-way mark also equals the record for a 30-game season (shared by 2014/15 Chiefs and last season’s Sundowns).

Once again, their success is built on a strong defence, with 11 clean sheets this season providing that stable foundation.

10+ – Downs have kept 10+ clean sheets at the half-way stage of a PSL season for three consecutive campaigns, the first time a side has done that.

Their 11th clean sheet came on the weekend against Richards Bay, who have been equally impressive.

10+ – Richards Bay are the first newly promoted side in PSL history to keep 10 clean sheets at the half-way stage of a 30-game season, while Sundowns’ 11 shutouts at this stage is bettered only by 03/04 Chiefs & 21/22 Sundowns.

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237 – 237 goals have been scored this season, four more than we had at this stage last season (233).

PSL Stats: Bradley Grobler sets new record

16 – The goal against Cape Town City means Bradley Grobler has now scored a league goal in 16 different calendar years.

He’s scored at least once in every year from 2007 until 2023, missing out only in an injury ravaged 2018.

He previously held the joint record of 15 years which he shared with Siya Nomvete, and Nathan Paulse.

Nomvete scored from 1997 until 2018, missing a few years in between. Paulse scored from 2002 until 2017, missing out in 2009.

They lead a club of just 10 layers to have scored a league goal in 14+ different years. Seven other players scored in 14 different years.

YearsPlayerYear of 1st GoalYear of last goal
16Grobler Bradley20072023
15Paulse Nathan20022017
15Siya Nomvete19972018
14Carelse Brent20002013
14Khanyeza Mabhuti20022018
14Laffor Anthony20052021
14Maluleke Jabu20052020
14Meiring Alton19972012
14Otieno Musa19972010
14Tshabalala Siphiwe20052018

Of currently active players, Bernard Parker & Majoro are potential next inductees (both 13). Thamsanqa Gabuza and Khama Billiat have scored in 12 different years.

Five PSL Stats: New Year Weekend

The PSL returned to action this past weekend. Below are five standout stats from the weekend.

4 – Kaizer Chiefs have now won four consecutive away games in the league. Since their last PSL title in 2015, Chiefs have gone on a better away run just once (six games ending November 2019) under Ernst Middendorp.

LengthEndedCoach
6 gamesNovember 2019Middendorp
6 gamesNovember 2014Baxter
5 gamesJanuary 2014Baxter
5 gamesAugust 2005Dumitru/Middendorp
5 gamesOctober 1997Dolezar
5 gamesDecember 1996Walter da Silva
4 games*5 occasions, including the
current run.		Various

20 – Mothobi Mvala was the 20th different player to score a #DStvPrem goal for Sundowns in the 2022 calendar year (excl. own goals), the most different league scorers for the club in a single year across their PSL history (20 also in 2004 & 2021).

5 – Ronwen Williams has kept five consecutive clean sheets in the league, his best such run since October/November 2011, when he was at SuperSport (also 5). One more clean sheet will set a new personal best league run.

52 – Sundowns collected 52 points in the 2022 calendar year, the most of all sides. They’ve won the most points in seven of the last eight calendar years (Pirates 2018 the exception).

36y 11m 22d – Aged 36 years, 11 months & 22 days, Onismor Bhasera became the third oldest player to score a league goal for SuperSport in the PSL, after Grant Johnson (37y 19d) and Sibusiso Zuma (38y 5m & 6d).

Five Stats: AFRICAN TEAMS AT THE WORLD CUP ROUND 1

GENERAL

0 – This is only the second time since 1990 that all the African teams have failed to win their opening game at a #FIFAWorldCup (also 2006).

44 – shots taken by African teams before the Ghana game

0 – goals from the 44 shots before the Ghana game

53 – shots taken by African teams after the Ghana game

2 – goals by African teams after the Ghana game

2 – the lowest number of goals by African teams after the opening game in a World Cup with at least three African teams (2 goals also in 2010).

⅘ – All African teams have taken more shots than their opponents except for Ghana, who were outsHot 11-9 by Portugal in their 3-2 thriller

Cameroon

8 – Cameroon have lost their eighth consecutive World Cup game (one in 2002, three each in 2010 & 2014, and one in 2022), one off the all-time record held by Mexico (1930-1958).

Ghana

0 – Ghana became the first team in the World Cup to go the entire first half without a touch in the opposition box. In the end they had 10 touches and scored two goals.

Senegal

15 – shots for Senegal in their opening game (the most of all African teams)

15 – shots by Senegal, the 6th most of all teams at the World Cup.

1 – Only Canada (21 shots) have taken more shots than Senegal (15) & Tunisia (13) without scoring

Morocco

0 – Morocco have never won their opening match at a World Cup (L-D-L-D-L-D on MD1)

0 – Morocco have never won their second match at a World Cup (L-D-L-L-L-? on MD2)

Tunisia

1 – Tunisia had one shot on target, the fewest of all African teams.

Five PSL Stats: from the weekend

4 – Yusuf Maart became the fourth player to score their very first goal for Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby after David Obua (2005), Willard Katsande & Siphelele Mthembu (both 2014).

36 – Bradley Ralani became the fifth oldest player to score a league goal for Sundowns in the PSL (35y 25d), with only Daniel Mudau, Suprise Moriri, Peter Ndlovu and Hlompo Kekana scoring at an older age.

2 – Against Royal AM, Cassius Mailula became the 4th youngest player to score in back-to-back league matches fro Sundowns in the PSL.

8 – SuperSport United have opened the scoring in eight consecutive #DSTVPrem matches, their longest such run since they scored in nine consecutive games between February and May 2004.

1 – Wayde Lekay scored his first goal for Cape Town City on the weekend, joining Fagrie Lakay and Lyle Lakay as Lakay/Lekays to have scored a league goal for Cape Town City.

Lekker.

Photo: @Masandawana Twitter

The 5 youngest players to score a brace for Sundowns

21y 4m 14d – Aged 21 years, 4 months & 14 days, Cassius Mailula is the second youngest PSL player to score a brace for Sundowns in the league.

  1. Raphael Chukwu was 20 days younger in November 1996, netting a brace in a 3-0 win away to AmaZulu. He was 21 years 3 months & 25 days old.

2. Mailula v Maritzburg, October 2022.

  1. Carlo Scott was 21 years 8 months 7 days old , scoring a brace in February 2002 v Moroka Swallows.
  2. Lovers Mohlala was 21 years 9 months 21 days netting a brace in September 1998 v Wits.
  3. Sibongakonke Ndlovu was 23 years 5 months and one day old when scoring a brace in February 2002 v Bush Bucks. This was the very next game, just a few days after Carlo Scott (#3).

*These stats are for Sundowns in the PSL era, covering league games only.

Photo: @Masandwana Twitter

5 PSL Stats: Midweek PSL action

Royal AM, Cape Town City and Sundowns were all victorious in a midweek gameday that saw many goals.

4 – The average of four goals per game is most on a single matchday with at least 3 games since April 2, 2022 when 16 goals were scored in 4 games.

1 – This was the first time in PSL history that Sundowns won an away league game by a margin of five goals.

Sundowns biggest winning margins in the league:

  • 98/99 Santos 7-1 (H)
  • 98/99 Vaal Pros 7-1 (H)
  • 13/14 AmaZulu 7-1 (H)
  • 16/17 Pirates 6-0 (H)
  • 21/22 Arrows 6-0 (H)
  • 97/98 Santos 5-0 (H)
  • 14/15 Polokwane 5-0 (H)
  • 16/17 Highlands 5-0 (H)
  • 16/17 SuperSport 5-0 (H)
  • 22/23 Maritzburg 5-0 (A).

2 – In Cassius Mailula and Haashim Domingo, Sundowns saw two different players score a brace in the same away league game for the first time in PSL history.

1 – Chippa have now won just one league game away to Cape-based opposition since they joined the top-flight in 2012 (P15 W1 D4 L10).

1 – Rhulani Mokwena is the first coach in Sundowns’ PSL history to win his first game in charge of the club by five or more goals. Neil Tovey & Miguel Gammondi won 5-1 v Black Leopards in December 2005.

Sep 26, 2021 – Royal AM scored three goals in a home league game for the first time since September last year.

Photo: @Masandawana Twitter

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Biggest wins by PSL sides in CAF competitions.

Sundowns progressed to the next round of the CAF Champions League after defeating La Passe of Sychelles 8-1 on Friday night, and 15-1 on aggregate. The aggregate result was the second heaviest they’ve ever inflicted on an opponent in CAF knockout history, behind only the 16-1 aggregate victory over Cope d’Or in 2019/20, also from the Seychelles.

Indeed, the two results also occupy the Top 2 biggest aggregate wins for all PSL sides.

Biggest winning margins in a single game for PSL sides in CAF.

  • 2019 – Sundowns 11-1 Cote d’Or🇸🇨
  • 2005 – SuperSport 9-0 Red Star🇸🇨
  • 2022 – Sundowns 8-1 La Passe🇸🇨
  • 2022 – Sundowns 7-0 La Passe🇸🇨
  • 1999 – Pirates 6-0 Botswana Defence Force🇧🇼
  • 2016 – Wits 6-0 Lightstars🇸🇨
  • 2019 – Wits 6-0 UD Songo🇲🇿.

5 – Five of the Top 7 biggest wins have come against teams from Seychelles.

What about the biggest aggregate wins?

Biggest aggregate wins by PSL sides in CAF two-leg ties (excl. Groups):

  • 19/20 Sundowns 16-1 Cote d’Or🇸🇨
  • 22/23 Sundowns 15-1 La Passe🇸🇨
  • 04/05 Supersport 13-1 Red Star🇸🇨
  • 05/06 Pirates 9-0 AS Port Louis🇲🇺
  • 12/13 Pirates 9-0 Djabal Club🇰🇲
  • 15/16 Wits 9-0 Lightstars🇸🇨

20 – Across 20 games between South African and Seychelles teams, PSL sides have won 19 times, by an aggregate score of 85-12 (D1).

Photo: @Masandawana