Mamelodi Sundowns’ ace goal-poacher Peter Shalulile has bolstered his chances of being crowned Premier Soccer League Footballer of the Season by scooping the league’s monthly award for May.
Shalulile, a Namibian striker that carried his form over from the previous season while playing for the now defunct Highlands Park to Masandawana, was named DStv Premiership Player of the Month for his outstanding performance and goal scoring prowess that propelled Downs to annex the league championship for the fourth consecutive time.
The Namibian also played a pivotal role in the Yellow Nation’s brilliant run in the group stages of the Caf Champions League by scoring the vital goals. Downs were bundled out in the quarterfinals by Egyptian giants Al Ahly which is now coached by their former and most successful coach, Pitso ‘Jingles’ Mosimane.
Shalulile is one of three top players vying to be crowned most outstanding footballer for the 2020/21 season, along with his teammate and titleholder Themba ‘Mshishi’ Zwane, and Thabiso Kutumela of perennial relegation survivors Maritzburg United who contributed immensely to their survival in the league by scoring crucial goals.
Pundits said although Shalulile stands head and shoulders above the two contenders, his chances have been further boosted by being crowned as Player of the Month for May, an accolade that none of his contenders in the Footballer of the Season title has managed to earn.
Other awardees for May were Shalulile’s coaching duo of Manqoba Mngqithi and Rhulani Mokwena, who are joint Coach of the Month winners for May, after guiding their side to a remarkable five wins and one draw in six matches of the month in question.
Over and above collecting the 16 points from a total of 18 for the Yellow Machine, the judges were hugely impressed by the coaching duo’s game and squad management while battling on two fronts, the Caf Champions League and the domestic league and its cup competitions.
The other exciting award of the month, the DStv Premiership Goal of the Month which is a fan favourite, we to winger Happy Mashiane of struggling Kaizer Chiefs who for the better half of this season were hovering in the dreaded relegation zone.
Mashiane was voted by the fans for his stunning free-kick from an acute angle in his side’s 2–2 draw against Bloemfontein Celtic. Mashiane’s goal goes into the hat to be voted for, among many others, as the DStv Premiership Goal of the Season.
