PSL Season Review Part 1

To wrap up the season for all teams, we will be reviewing PSL teams’ performances from the recent campaign. Our four-part series will be focusing on every team in the division, with four covered every day, in alphabetical order. To start off, Part 1 of our series focuses on Teams A to C. PSL Review: Part 1

AmaZulu
Last season: 11th
This season: 6th
Points swing from last season: +5
Top scorer in all comps: Etiosa Ighodaro (6 goals)

Their season started in the worst possible manner, with Usuthu losing their first four games of the campaign – something that has never happened for the club in PSL history. The slow start forced them to release coach Franco Martin, with Arthur Zwane and Vusimuzi Vilakazi entering the scene after 3 games, and steadying the ship. On a points per game basis, 1.25 points per game was better than the 1.2 from last season. A Top 8 spot is the prize for making a tough call earlier in the season, and a date with Stellenbosch awaits in the MTN8 quarter finals.

6 – Usuthu finished in 6th position on the table; only once before in PSL history have they finished in a higher position (2nd under Benni).

Cape Town City
Last season: 5th
This season: 15th
Position swing from last season: -10
Top scorer in all comps: Darwin Gonzalez (5 goals)

If the departure of long-serving Eric Tinkler tells a story, the exit of his successor after less than three months compounded a horrible campaign. The highlight of the season was the first week of January, when they beat the Chiefs and Pirates in back-to-back games. That should have revitalised their season, but the opposite followed. A run of 2 wins in 17 in the league, including an all-time club record of 13 games without three points, led them to their lowest ever finishing position. It is also the first time they ended a campaign outside the Top 8 (previous lowest position was 7th).

15 – City scored 15 league goals all season. Only one team in PSL history has finished a PSL campaign with fewer goals (2007/08 Jomo Cosmos had 13).

Chiefs
Last season: 10th
This season: 9th
Points swing from last season: +1
Top scorer in all comps: Makabi Lilepo (6 goals)

Whatever the frustrations with their league campaign, the highs of winning the Nedbank Cup will remain in Chiefs’ hearts and minds for a long time. They struggled in the league, winning back-to-back games just once (on Matchday 1 and 2), then ended their season on a nine-game winless streak, equalling the club’s worst-ever run without a league win. Yet, they put that form behind them all the way to Cup glory. Whether this is a good season or not depends on your disposition. Glass half-full recognises the cup run, and other positive metrics. Glass half-empty itches when they see 9th position and 12 losses.

25 – Chiefs scored 25 league goals all season, their worst return in a PSL campaign, while their -7 goal difference is a new club record.

Chippa Utd
Last season: 12th
This season: 11th
Points swing from last season: +1
Top scorer in all comps: Sinoxolo Kwayiba (7 goals)

A season that promised so much at the beginning crumbled to another disappointing end for the Chilli Boys. At the end of November, Chippa were third on the table, with 4 wins from 9 games. In the following six months, they played 19 league games and won four as well. A league table from 1 December until the end of the season will have Chippa at the bottom, with 17 points from 19 games. Their Cup form was equally bad, with two exits at the LAST 16 stage in the Carling Knockout and Nedbank Cups.

That said, Chippa management may look at their league positions, compare them with the past, and conclude they have improved. They may have a case.

11 – 11th is Chippa United’s best position post-COVID (since finishing 11th in 2019/20).