Mokwena picks Williams to win PSL Footballer of the Season

Ahead of the all-important second leg of the Caf Champions League semifinal against Esperance, Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has backed goalkeeper Ronwen Williams to win the PSL Footballer of the Season award.

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Williams has once again been the saviour for the Brazilians in both the Champions League and the DStv Premiership this campaign.

The 32-year-old produced heroics in the penalty shootout win against Young Africans in the quarterfinals of the continental competition.

Sundowns will once again need Williams to be at his best against Esperance at Loftus Versfeld on Friday with the Tshwane giants trailing 1-0 from the first leg.

Masandawa will be hoping to avoid another defeat in the last four after being knocked out by Wydad Casablanca at this stage of the competition last season.

“It’s a difficult one because I think there’s been an unorthodox front runner and that is Ronwen Williams because we normally don’t consider goalkeepers to receive such awards but I when I look at Ronwen’s contribution this season for Sundowns not only on goalkeeping but also on in-field play, I think he has been head and shoulders above the rest and from a level on consistency,” Mokwena said before giving honourable mentions to other players of rival team.

“There have been some moments of individual brilliance sporadically because a player like Patrick Maswanganyi deserves a special mention because I have been watching and he’s picking up towards the end of the season. You know how the mind works, it remembers the recent. I think Teboho Mokoena has been good once again and he has been at a very good level. Musa Lebusa has also been excellent and he has been hindered by injuries but I think he has had an incredible season.

“I think Aubrey Modiba has been excellent before AFCON and Khuliso Mudau at the beginning was phenomenal. At Stellenbosch there have been some good performances. Ismael Toure and Iqraam Rayners have been good in the games that I’ve watched. Devin Titus has been very good for them with his speed, aggression and ability to get behind the defensive line. At TS Galaxy, Lehlohonolo Mojela has had good moments this season to help the team where it is and he deserves a special mention.”

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Sundowns head into the do-or-die clash against North Africans on the back of yet another milestone in the PSL following Tuesday’s 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United.

They now hold the record of going unbeaten in the first 22 games of the season and Williams has kept 12 clean sheets in 17 of those games. The Bafana Bafana captain has also only conceded twice in 10 Champions League matches.