PSL Season Review Part 2

Our four-part series is focusing on every team in the division, with four covered every day, in alphabetical order. To continue from our first article, Part 2 of our series focuses on Teams G to O, namely Golden Arrows, Magesi, Marumo Gallants and Orlando Pirates. Enjoy.

Golden Arrows
Last season: 9th
This season: 12th
Position swing from last season: -3
Top scorer in all comps: Nduduzo Sibiya & Knox Mutizwa (3 goals)

Three goals for a top-goalscorer tells the story of their underwhelming season. Early in the season, they won their opening two matches in a top-flight season for the first time ever, in the process marking the occasion of their 700th league game in PSL history with a win. A start that seemed too good to be true was followed by as many wins before the year ended, with coaching changes in between. First round exits in the Cup competitions (including a 5-0 thrashing against Sundowns) were further lows, with a league double win over Chiefs a minor high.

7 – Arrows won just seven league games all season, their fewest since 2013/14 when relegated (6).

Magesi
Position swing from last season: N/A
Top scorer in all comps: Delano Abrahams (5 goals)

Their Carling Knockout victory made them the first newly promoted team to win a trophy in the top-flight, but threatened to be a poisoned chalice as they struggled in the league. When Owen da Gama took over Magesi at the end of December, they were bottom of the table and favoured for relegation, with one win in nine. It took him a while to get his ideas across, with six winless games when he started. Then things clicked. A league table from 8 February (the date of da Gama’s first win) until the end of the season would see them in 4th position. Home form helped.

6 – Magesi won 6 consecutive home games under da Gama. No coach had gone on a longer run post-LOCKDOWN (2020/21+) until then.

Marumo Gallants
Position swing from last season: N/A
Top scorer in all comps: Gabadinho Mhango (5 goals)

Marumo returned to the top-flight after purchasing the status of Swallows in the off-season. Until the end of February, it seemed as if they were headed towards one of the two worst possible outcomes – relegation or the playoffs. The Abdeslam Ouaddou regime produced wonders with 3 months of the season remaining, winning as many games (4 in 10) as the team had done in the first 6 months of the campaign (4 in 18). Reaching the semis in the Cups remains a highlight, but a leaky defence cost them.

39 – Marumo Gallants conceded 39 goals in the league this season, more than any other team.

Orlando Pirates
Position swing from last season: 0
Top scorer in all comps: Tshegofatso Mabasa (15 goals)

By many measures, Orlando Pirates had a good season. Winners of the MTN8, runners-up in the league and Nedbank Cup, and semi-finalists in CAF are hallmarks of a decent campaign. Sadly, they were competing against what their recently departed Spanish coach deemed a “points machine”. Pirates’ 11-point improvement from last season was the best of any team. Add a record for league wins in a season (19), their best goals-per-game ratio in 20 years (1.54) and the first time in 22 years they won more than 60 points. All this was not enough, but it should be the cause of optimism.

2.18 – Pirates averaged 2.18 points per game this season, the 2nd highest PPG ratio in PSL history by a team that failed to win the title (Chiefs 2.21 points per game in 1998/99).