2024/25 PSL Schedule Examination: Which Squads Face the Most Challenging Early-Season Battle?
Football Freaks We're just around the corner from the kickoff of the 2024/25 PSL season, and the damn excitement is evident across the South African football scene. Each team has different ambitions for the season, from survival, a top-eight finish, winning trophies, and more. Whatever their goals, it's clear that every squad will be hunting for a strong start. This marks the 29th PSL season, and the importance of a good start has been evident over almost three decades. None of the last 16 title winners have lost their opening game, but here's the kicker: there's more.
- A Winning Streak: It's a rarity for a team that loses their opening game to claim the title, with only two PSL teams managing to do so.
- Chasing the Top Eight: Only 39% of teams that lost their opening game have finished in the top eight.
- Living at the Bottom: Out of the 28 teams that have finished rock-bottom, just three secured a victory in their opening game.
PSL Matchday 1 Fixtures: 2024/25
- Royal AM vs Cape Town City (Saturday 14 Sep)
- Marumo Gallants vs Kaizer Chiefs (Saturday 14 Sep)
- Polokwane vs AmaZulu (Saturday 14 Sep)
- Richards Bay vs TS Galaxy (Sunday 15 Sep)
- Mamelodi Sundowns vs Supersport Utd (Tuesday 17 Sep)
- Orlando Pirates vs Chippa Utd (Wednesday 18 Sep)
- Sekhukhune vs Magesi (Wednesday 18 Sep)
- Stellenbosch vs Golden Arrows (Wednesday 18 Sep)
Using Opta's globally recognized Power Rankings, we can gauge the difficulty of each team's opening fixtures. The Opta Power Ranking assigns a score to domestic football teams on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores signifying stronger teams. For instance, Manchester City scores 100, making them the top-tier club globally, while Al Ahly scores 83, ranking them 106th globally and best in Africa. Sundowns, with a score of 79.9, are South Africa's best team and Africa's fifth-best.
The Toughest Starts
Hot damn, Gavin Hunt might want to avert his eyes. Based on these rankings, SuperSport United faces the toughest opening salvo of the season. They start with an away game against defending champions Sundowns, followed by matches against TS Galaxy (home) and Cape Town City (away), ranked fourth and sixth in the country, respectively. Last season, SuperSport managed just one win, two draws, and two losses from the same set of fixtures, earning them a measly five points. Hunt will undoubtedly be eager to improve those results.
Polokwane City, who face the top three teams from the previous season in their opening five games, and newly promoted Marumo Gallants (formerly Swallows FC) are also in for a challenging start. Newly promoted Magesi, however, has a more moderate schedule ahead. Teams like Stellenbosch, Pirates, and Sundowns will be relieved that their early fixtures are less taxing, especially considering CAF commitments they'll need to manage.
The Easiest Starts
Lehlohonolo Seema will be glad about their favorable start to the season despite the turmoil surrounding the club recently. They commence against a newly promoted team, followed by matches against teams that finished 11th, 12th, and 13th last season, which ranks them globally between 1,400 and 1,500. Golden Arrows, a team they've only defeated once in their last six clashes, is part of that run.
Bet Now: PSLThere's good news for Nasreddine Nabi too, as Kaizer Chiefs' opening five games are rated the fifth easiest. While the encounter against Sundowns stands out as a tough one, they also face Marumo Gallants and Magesi in their first five matches. Golden Arrows and Royal AM will also view their early schedules as an opportunity to gather momentum. Last season, Golden Arrows racked up 10 points from their first five games, which made up 25% of their total by the season's end. A similar strong start could boost their chances of a return to the top eight.
Insight: Predicting tough starts and easy starts in the PSL depends on factors such as previous season performance, squad strength, fixtures scheduling, and coaching stability. Processes like Opta's Power Rankings consider detailed statistics and team performance metrics to provide more precise predictions for a more accurate analysis.
- The importance of a strong start in football is evident, with none of the last 16 PSL title winners losing their opening game.
- Teams like SuperSport United, Polokwane City, and newly promoted Marumo Gallants are facing tough starts in the 2024/25 PSL season, according to Opta's Power Rankings.
- Kaizer Chiefs, Golden Arrows, and Royal AM are seen to have an easier start in the 2024/25 PSL season, providing an opportunity to gather momentum and boost their chances of a return to the top eight.
