By The Numbers: PSL Weekend Stats

The PSL league season officially reached the halfway stage this weekend, with the 120th game played on Sunday afternoon. AmaZulu were the biggest winners of the weekend, securing a late win in a dramatic match in KZN. Elsewhere, Orlando Pirates drew away to Sekhukhune, to go level on points with Sundowns at the top of the table. Chippa United and Durban City were the other winners on the weekend, both claiming 1-0 wins in their encounters. Here are five stats and key storylines from the weekend.

1. Pirates huff and puff, but get no goals

Orlando Pirates travelled to Sekhukhune knowing that a win would propel them back to the top of the table ahead of Sundowns. In addition, the Buccaneers were out for revenge against a team that beat them on the opening day of the season. As early as the third minute, Tshepang Moremi had signalled their intent, taking a shot that was saved by Renaldo Leaner. Pirates would aim 16 more shots in this game, but still leave without a goal. One has to go back nearly 18 months to August 2023, for the last time Pirates had more shots in a league game without scoring, against Stellenbosch (18).

2025 – This is the first time since March 2025 (also against Stellenbosch) that Pirates are involved in a 0-0 draw in the league.

2. AmaZulu and TS Galaxy in late thriller

With 20 minutes remaining, this game looked like it was headed for a dour 0-0 draw. But five goals in the final 20 minutes turned a potential stalemate into arguably the game of the season. AmaZulu will be doubly happy for winning the thriller and coming from a goal down. This is the first time under Arthur Zwane that they have come from a goal down to win a league game. For TS Galaxy, they will be annoyed to lose a game they led twice. They’ve now lost two games after scoring first this season, as many such losses as they suffered in their first five top-flight campaigns.

1 – This is the first time in PSL history a league game has seen five goals in a game where the 1st goal scored in the 70th minute or later.

3. Chippa United end the away day blues

An important win that takes Chippa United off the bottom of the table, but still in dangerous waters. The Chilli Boys have endured their toughest season in a while, and this was only their second victory of the campaign. Ironically, their first win also came against Orbit College, meaning they have completed a league double over them. In the last two seasons, they have completed doubles over promoted Magesi and promoted Cape Town Spurs. It’s impossible to overstate how their away form has affected their league position and struggles in the last year.

February 2025 – This is the first time since February 2025 that Chippa have won an away league game.

4. Orbit College failing at the highest level

With three wins in four games around November, Orbit College seemed like they had turned a corner. At the start of November, Orbit were in 11th position, level on points with the team in 8th place – TS Galaxy. Since then, they have slid down the table at an alarming rate. Five games have yielded five defeats, with just two goals scored in that time. They are also the only team to concede more than 10 goals since November (12). They now hold a record no team would like attached to their name.

5 – Orbit have lost five consecutive league games, the longest losing run of any team this season.

5. Durban City begin life after under Sinethemba Badela

A new era began at Durban City this weekend, where one of the youngest coaches in the league successfully picked up where the oldest coach left off. In appointing Sinethemba Badela to replace Gavin Hunt, Durban City have gone from a coach with 1000 top-flight games under his name to one who is at the very beginning of his career. But for now, the shift looks good, after Badela’s team registered their first win under him. While 1-0 is the narrow winning scoreline, getting his first three points will be forever memorable to Badela.

37 – 1-0 is the most common scoreline in the league this season, occurring 37 times already.