Chiefs got back to winning ways with a 4-0 thumping of Chippa. Keagan Dolly & Khama Billiat stole the limelight, but all in all it was a solid performance (in attack and defence) for the team. Here are 5 stats from the Saturday that was..

92 – With his goal against Chippa, Khama Billiat has gone past Wilfred Mugeyi as the top-scoring Zimbabwean player in the PSL era (92 goals, all comps). He is now 6th highest overall in PSL history

100 – Khama Billiat’s goal was also the 100th scored in the league this season. Coming in the 50th league games, it’s the slowest since 2016/17 (also 50 games).

15 – Supersport have 15 points from their opening seven games, their joint-best total at this stage in their PSL history (also last season & 2011/12)

5 – This was the first time Kaitano Tembo used all 5 subs in a league game this season, and only the second time since the start of last season.

4-0 – The 4-0 loss to Chiefs is Chippa’s joint-biggest losing margin in their PSL top-flight history (5-1 v Maritzburg in April this year).

The international break is upon us, but we thought to leave you with 5 stats from the recent PSL weekend for you to chew on during the upcoming interlull. The five stats from the weekend are heavy on players, led by the irrepressible Peter Shalulile.

5 – Peter Shalulile has scored in five successive games for Sundowns (all comps), his joint-best run of scoring form in his top-flight career (5 in a row also between Feb and March this year).

4 – Vincent Pule has provided four assists in six league matches this season, having provided none throughout the whole of the 2020/21 season.

4 – Victor Letsoalo has scored in four successive league matches for the first time in his top-flight career. His coach John Maduka has never won two games in a row before this season. He’s won 4 in a row with Royal AM.

40 – Knox Mutizwa’s goal against Marumo Gallants was his 40th league goal for Golden Arrows, eclipsing Mabhuti Khanyeza (39) as the club’s all-time leading scorer in the PSL top-flight (excluding NFD).

7 – Swallows have failed to score in seven consecutive matches in all competitions in this season. They failed to score in just five matches throughout all of last season.

BONUS

1 – Maritzburg have won just one of their last eight KZN derbies with Ernst Middendorp in charge (W1 D4 L3, across two spells).

4 – Cape Town City’s 4-0 win over Swallows FC is Eric Tinkler’s biggest winning margin in a Cup game in his coaching career.

4 – City’s 4-0 win over Swallows FC is the biggest winning margin by any PSL club at the semi-final stage of the Top 8 (incl. #MTN8, BPTop8 & SAA Supa8).

2020 – This was Swallows FC’s biggest defeat in any competition since they were promoted in 2020, eclipsing their 3-0 defeat to Supersport last week.

1 – Bradley Ralani is the first player to score more than one goal for CT City in the MTN8 (both in a match, and overall).

23 – There have been 23 goals scored in the MTN8 so far this season, the most at this stage of the tournament since 2013/14 (25 goals by the semi-final stage).

10 – This was the 10th Cup meeting between Golden Arrows and Sundowns in the PSL era, and Downs’ 8th win (D1 L1). Comprehensive.

2016 – Sundowns have reached the #MTN8 final for the first time since 2016, and just the third time since the tournament was sponsored by MTN (2008+). Jubilation.

3 – The 3-goal margin is Sundowns’ joint biggest goal margin in a Top8 fixture in the PSL era (equalling 4-1 victories over Santos (2006), Celtic (2007) and Chiefs (2012). Overwhelming.

3 – The 3-goal margin in Golden Arrows’ heaviest margin of defeat in a Top 8 match in the PSL era. Overwhelmed.

6 – Sundowns have reached the Top8 final six times in the PSL era. Only Supersport, Chiefs & Pirates (7 each) have reached the final on more occasions. Arrived.

Sundowns continued their relentless start to reclaiming the league title when they dispatched Orlando Pirates 2-0 at Orlando Stadium. Goals from Peter Shalulile were enough to get them over the line and back to the top of the PSL table. Below are 5 stats from that result…

14 – This was Sundowns’ 14th win away at Orlando Pirates in the league. No other side has won more than six times away to the Buccaneers. Other teams to win at Pirates are:

• 6 – Wits, Supersport, Kaizer Chiefs
• 4 – Moroka Swallows, Jomo Cosmos

5 – This is the first time in their PSL history that Sundowns have opened a league season with five successive clean sheets. They are only the 3r PSL side to keep 5+ clean sheets at the start of a top-flight season

• 10 – Wits 2003/4 (under Roger de Sa)
• 9 – Pirates 2009/10 (under Ruud Krol)
• 5 – Sundowns 2021/22 (under Mngqithi & co.)

22 – Orlando Pirates have now lost 22 league matches against Sundowns, more than they have against any other opponent in PSL history (22).

• 22 – Sundowns
• 17 Supersport
• 16 – Wits
• 14 – Chiefs

8 – Going back to the end of last season, Sundowns have now kept eight consecutive league clean sheets, a new club record for them in the PSL era. This is a Downs record, not a league record.

4 – Pirates have now lost 4 matches to Sundowns this year, by an aggregate score of 10-1. The last time they lost so many matches to Sundowns in the same year was 2007, but an aggregate score 7-3.

Three things are certain in 2021 – death, taxes and a match involving Swallows FC ending as a draw. The newly-promoted side drew their 17th game of the season this Wednesday (against Chiefs), equalling the record for most draws by a top-flight team in a PSL season.

It was a familiar scene at Soccer City on Wednesday – Swallows take the lead 1-0. The opposition equalises 1-1. Full Time 1-1. This was the fifth successive 1-1 draw for the Birds and their 14th 1-1 draw of the campaign, also a PSL record. The previous highest was 10 (Hellenic in 1998/99) a side coached in the latter part of that season by Gavin Hunt.

It’s the 11th match this season where Swallows have scored first and allowed the opposition to comeback and get something out of the games. The two dropped points against Chiefs took Swallows total to 23 dropped points after scoring first this season – a record for any club since the PSL was established in 1996/97.

They had set the record last month to 21 points, but extended it to 23 against Chiefs. With four games to play, this record can be further extended, alongside many others.

The Swallows FC class of 2021 will be a case study for many future quizzes, as they are on course for a few PSL records: 

• They are unbeaten at home all season
• They have scored in every away game
• They’ve failed to score in just 2 matches this season
• They could set a points record for a newly promoted side in a 30-game season.

Peter Shalulile scored for Sundowns in their 2-1 win over Chippa United yesterday, his ninth goal in the league and 15th in all competition this season. Below are five stats on one of the best players we have seen this campaign.

33 – Shalulile has scored 33 top-flight goals since his first season at Highlands Park. Only Themba Zwane and Knox Mutizwa (both 38) have scored more in that time.

When you consider that Shalulile spent a full season outside the top-flight, that stat is even more impressive.

86 – Shalulile’s 33 goals have come from 86 appearances, while both Mutizwa (117 appearances) and Themba Zwane (122) appeared in more league games in that period.

It was actually his first goal against Chippa, coming in his seventh match against them, which must have come as a relief.

7 – The seven matches played against Chippa is the longest it has taken Shalulile to score against a single top-flight opponent.

However, it also adds another scalp to the collection of top-flight teams he has scored against in his club career.

17 – Shalulile has scored against 17 different teams in the league since his previous club, Highlands Park, came into the top-flight.

Only against Ajax Cape Town, Platinum Stars has he played and failed to find the net, but even then he only faced these teams once.

1 – TTM are the only side that Shalulile has played more than 90 minutes against in the league without scoring.

10 – Denis Onyango is the first keeper to reach 10 clean sheets in the #DSTVPrem this season, and the second @Masandawana keeper to reach 10 clean sheets by the half-way stage of a league season in PSL history. Wall.

Sundowns kept 10 clean sheets in the 1st half of the 1996/97 season, but the goalkeeping duties were shared between Roger de Sa and John Tlale in the first 17 games of the season.

In the 30-game PSL era (when we have most reliable data), he equals Calvin Marlin whose 10th clean sheet came in the 15th game back in 2006/7. Onyango’s 10 have come in 14 games, while Marlin’s came in 15.

With 10 clean sheets in the opening 15 games, this Sundowns side are also on course for many records – both for Onyango and the team.

21 – Kaizer Chiefs 2003/4 hold the record for clean sheets by a team over a full season (21), conceding just 11 goals in the league.

That team conceded 5 goals in the opening 24 games, with the record slightly tainted by 6 goals conceded in the last 6 games. Still some record to beat.

17 – Moeneeb Josephs holds the record for most clean sheets by a keeper in a 30-game PSL season, keeping 17 clean sheets in the 2009/10 season for Orlando Pirates. (via:Nick Said)

It was a weekend for goalkeepers, as Richard Ofori made a stunning penalty save in the Soweto derby, while Ronwen William made his 100th consecutive league appearance for Supersport.