Winners and Losers in PSL: Team Triumphs and Disappointments in the Pakistan Super League Tournament
Revamped Write-up:
The festive season kicked off on a cringe-worthy note for several teams, including Royal AM, Chippa United, and Marumo Gallants, as they found themselves on the losing end. With a mere seven points separating four-fifths of the league (4th to 15th), every point counts. Let's dive into the weekend's action in a statistical review, focusing on the winners and losers.
Winning Ways
Polokwane City
Though they might not capture the spotlight like the legendary clubs, festival-page glory should be bestowed upon Phuti Mohafe and his squad. They've shattered records, reaching the 20-point mark faster than ever in their top-flight history, largely thanks to their formidable home performances.
Polokwane City boasts an unbeaten run of 11 home league games since the end of March, and they are the only top-flight side without a home defeat in the league during this period.
Arthur Zwane & Kanu Vilakazi
AmaZulu's fortunes have significantly improved since the arrival of coaches Arthur Zwane and Kanu Vilakazi. They have secured back-to-back home league victories for the first time since September 2023, potentially setting the stage for an inspiring streak if they pull off a win against Sundowns in their next match.
The coaching duo has overseen an outstanding 1.8 points per game average since taking charge, placing them fifth in the league for points accrued.
Cape Town City
Though not in dire straits, Cape Town City's output is far from their potential given their resources and top-flight stability. A much-needed victory against Chippa United breathed life back into their campaign, but they need more away victories to achieve their obvious aspirations.
This triumph marked only the 2nd away win of 2024 in the league for Cape Town City, following their victorious encounter against Sundowns on the final day of the previous season.
Bradley Grobler
The venerable SuperSport United striker, Bradley Grobler, is back in action, and his goals have already secured six points for Gavin Hunt's side. Grobler has his sights set on capturing the Siya Nomvethe record (129), and it's certainly within his grasp if he can manage an additional 14 goals before the season's end.
In the past five years, Grobler has netted 55 league goals after turning 30, placing him only behind Daniel Mudau (72) in terms of players with the most league goals after reaching the age of 30.
Stumbling Blocks
Magesi FC
Despite their recent promotion, Magesi FC have yet to win more than one league game this season (1 in 9). A narrow miss against a top-side left them just ten minutes short of grabbing a valuable away point. To secure more points, they may need to abandon their cup game tactics and embrace a more aggressive approach in league play.
Magesi FC has the fewest touches in their opponents' box (110) and are also at the bottom of the league in terms of big chances (7 in 9 games).
Kaizer Chiefs
Club coach Nasredinne Nabi expressed the desire for strong reinforcements following a 1-1 draw against TS Galaxy, stating, "The perfect gift for Christmas time would be players that can strengthen the team..."
Though the team isn't in crisis, persistent defensive lapses have put a damper on the initial enthusiasm generated at the season's start. The Chiefs have conceded the most goals in the league (31 in 28 league matches, approximately 1.1 per game) and have also created the most big chances (68) but have failed to convert them (23 scored). A clean sheet remains an elusive Christmas gift for Nabi and his team.
Despite a few promising results, such as a 0-0 draw against Chippa United in late April, systemic issues related to goalkeeping inconsistencies and defensive cohesion continue to plague the team. Despite recent improvement efforts, the modest clean sheet tally highlights the lingering challenges in defense.
- Polokwane City, with their unbeaten home run since March, continues to strengthen their position in the league, being the only side without a home defeat in the league since then.
- Arthur Zwane and Kanu Vilakazi's coaching at AmaZulu has been instrumental in their recent successes, with back-to-back home victories for the first time since September 2023, potentially leading to a remarkable winning streak.
- Bradley Grobler, the SuperSport United striker, has been a crucial factor in his team's points, aiming to surpass the Siya Nomvethe record (129) with just 14 more goals before the season's end.
- Magesi FC, despite their recent promotion, are struggling in the league, having won only one game this season and failing to convert their big chances effectively, with the fewest touches in their opponents' box and the lowest number of big chances created compared to other teams.
- Kaizer Chiefs, despite some promising results, continue to face defensive lapses, having conceded the most goals in the league (31 in 28 matches) and creating the most big chances (68), but failing to convert them efficiently. Coach Nasredinne Nabi has expressed the necessity for reinforcements to address these persistent issues.
