The Five Moments of the Season-So-Far

Phakaaathi is still very much here, however, and we take a look at the five best moments from the Premier Soccer League campaign up to now.

Chiefs come back at Highlands to set out their title stall

Amakhosi could be accused of lacking mental resolve, with some justification, in the last few seasons, but this season they fknocked it out the park. They poured out that resolve from the get-go, coming back to beat Highlands Park in their opening league game of the campaign, with a late, late deflected winner from Erick Mathoho giving Ernst Middendorp’s men a 3-2 a win. Chiefs would go on to dominate the rest of the teams in the country for a good while, before they tired in 2020, allowing others to make up ground in what was becoming a thrilling title race. If they do ever come back, Chiefs must hope they can find that steel and edge again that made them such a force in the first part of the campaign.

Erick Mathoho (c) celebrates a goal during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 football match between Highlands Park and Kaizer Chiefs at Makhulong Stadium, Tembisa on 04 August 2019 ©Gavin Barker/BackpagePix

Sundowns finally end their domestic knockout drought

Mamelodi Sundowns have been the kings of the Absa Premiership in recent years, and even have a Caf Champions League title to their name from 2016, but until this season’s Telkom Knockout, they had been risible, for a club of their magnitude, in the domestic cups. That changed, however, as with Chiefs setting a furious pace at the top of the table, Pitso Mosimane appeared to get an extra appetite for the TKO, and his side put their hands on the trophy when they edged out Maritzburg United in the final. Uruguayan striker Mauricio Affonso netted twice after Judas Moseamedi had given United the lead, to give Sundowns a first domestic knockout trophy since the 2015 Nedbank Cup.

Themba Zwane of Mamelodi Sundowns celebrates victory at the end of the 2019 Telkom Knockout final match between Maritzburg United and Mamelodi Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium Durban, on 14 December 2019 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

Gabadinho Mhango and Josef Zinnbauer are a footballing marriage made in heaven

Striker Gabadinho Mhango and new Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer blended together beautifully as the Malawian the Absa Premiership went on a scoring streak in early 2020 to help the Buccaneers surge up the league table. Mhango netted eight times this year in the league as Pirates briefly threatened to challenge for the league title, though that opportunity appeared to fade away in late February and early March, as did Mhango’s goals. Zinnbauer benefited from playing Mhango in a slightly deeper role, using his pace to get beyond defenders, and the 27 year-old benefitted with a flurry of goals, including a hat-trick at Polokwane City. 14 goals from 21 league games is a fine effort thus far, and Mhango is well set to earn the Lesley Manyathela Golden Boot, if and when the season is completed.

Gabadinho Mhango of Orlando Pirates celebrates goal during the Absa Premiership 2019/20 game between Polokwane City and Orlando Pirates at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane,Limpopo the on 07 January 2020 © Kabelo Leputu/BackpagePix

Cape Town City get rid of Benni McCarthy, but don’t get any better

City might be one of the teams more grateful for an early end to the season, as this has been by far their worst season since John Comitis bought the MP Black Aces franchise and formed the club in 2016. Benni McCarthy had done a fine job after taking over from Eric Tinkler, winning the 2018 MTN8 and gaining credible Absa Premiership finishes in both 2017/18 and 2018/19. This season, however, it started to go pear-shaped, with McCarthy growing increasingly criticial of his own players after games, and Comitis decided to sack the former FC Porto and Bafana Bafana striker in December. Dutch coach Jan Olde Riekerink came in, but results have not improved, and it is hard right now to see him surviving until next season.

Benni McCarthy, head coach of Cape Town City reacts after his team miss a scoring opportunity during the 2019 Telkom Knockout last 16 game between Cape Town City and Kaizer Chiefs at Cape Town Stadium on 19 October 2019 © Ryan Wilkisky/BackpagePix

Swallows are back (sort of), and pushing for promotion

Moroka Swallows were an institution in the local game, a side founded in Soweto in 1947, but a side that ultimately fell foul of financial mismanagement, dropping down into the ABC Motsepe League, and basically disappearing before South African businessman Panyaza Lesufi intervened. Lesufi, a long time Swallows fan, put together a consortium to buy out Maccabi FC and return the side to the GladAfrica Championship this season under the name Swallows FC. The troubles of Moroka Swallows mean that name might be impossible to recover but Swallows FC are flying high in the Championship this season, and were threatening to at least make the play-offs when the coronavirus pandemic struck. Brandon Truter’s side did have a bit of a blip this month, picking up just one point from their last two league games, but remained second in the table, seven points behind leaders Ajax Cape Town.

Panyaza Lesufi (c) during the ladAfrica Championship 2019/20 match between University of Pretoria and Moroka Swallows at Tuks Stadium, Pretoria on 08 March 2020 ©Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix

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