Winners & Losers: PSL teams shine in CAF

Cup weekend saw good wins for PSL teams in CAF, with three of the four participants proceeding to the Group stages. Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs and Stellenbosch all built on positive first leg results to comfortably progress to the lucrative Rounds of 16. For Orlando Pirates, the 3-0 first leg defeat proved a difficult mountain to overcome as they bowed out of the competition early. Domestically, Richards Bay and Golden Arrows were both extra-time winners in the quarter-finals of the Carling Cup. Winners & Losers is a statistical review of the weekend action.

Winners

Sundowns

Whatever inconsistencies may follow Sundowns on the domestic front, everything falls perfectly into place in the preliminary stages of CAF competitions. Since 2008, Sundowns have won every home game in Champions League preliminary stages – playing 20 games and winning all of them by an aggregate score of 67-6.

11 – This is Sundowns’ 11th consecutive appearance in the Champions League group stage, a record they share with Al Ahly of Egypt.

Kaizer Chiefs

Kaizer Chiefs’ 0-0 draw away to Simba looked like a bad result a week ago, but in hindsight it was the perfect foundation. They were quick out of the blocks in the return leg, going 3-0 up within 26 minutes against Simba – the earliest they have ever scored thrice in a CAF game.

2021 – This was the first time Chiefs scored 3+ in a CAF game since May 2021, which was also against Simba (of Tanzania)

Stellenbosch

Back-to-back wins for the first time this season, each of them crucial to Stellenbosch rebuilding their season after a rather limp start. The league win got them out of the relegation zone, the weekend win has sent them into the CAF Group stages for a second successive campaign. Steve Barker will consider the two goal gluts an indication of progress.

1 – This is the first time since their 2019 promotion that Stellies have scored 4+ goals in back-to-back games.

Richards Bay

Away from home, Richards Bay have won just one game this season (out of seven). At home, they have lost just two games since January (out of 15). They’ll be praying for a home draw in the semi-finals.

3 – Richards Bay have reached the semifinals of the Carling Knockout for the third consecutive season, and are the only team to reach that stage in every edition since the tournament relaunched in 2023.

Manqoba Mngqithi

Having lost the final of this competition to a newly promoted side last season, Manqoba Mngqithi probably has a personal quest to do well in the competition this year. For now, he can bask in the flow of becoming only the fourth Arrows coach to reach the semis of the League Cup.

1 – Arrows have now won six home games already this season (P7 W6 D0 L1all comps), more than they did throughout all of last season (P15 W4 D5 L6)

Losers

Orlando Pirates

Credit to them for coming back from three goals down to grab a 3-3 aggregate draw. But they are losers here for not being smart enough in the first leg. Trailing 2-0 in the 88th minute, Pirates could have hunkered down for a 2-0 defeat that was easier to turnaround. As it turns, coming from 3-0 down proved a mountain too high.

0 – No PSL team has ever progressed to the next round of any CAF competition after suffering a 3+ goal defeat in the first leg of a two-legged tie (six instances).