DSTV Prem Weekend Review – Winners And Losers By OptaJabu

This weekend’s Winners are Chiefs heavy – with Kaizer Motaung and his new signings Stuart Baxter & Keagan Dolly included. Meanwhile, the man he recently let go of leads the Losers section.

Kaizer Motaung – Winner

For all the anxiety over Kaizer Chiefs season-opening form, they are level on points with Orlando Pirates (although with a game more) and are just 4 points off the automatic CAF places. A defeat against Gavin Hunt, a coach they recently let go after less than a season, would have brought about an interesting reflection on the chairman’s wisdom around that decision. Not only did Chiefs win, but they also did so convincingly, leaving their chairman with a feeling of justification as a birthday gift.

1 – This was the first time Kaizer Chiefs won a home game played on Kaizer Motaung’s birthday in the PSL era (D2 before).

Stuart Baxter – Winner

“I’m the only coach who has won anything for Kaizer Chiefs over the last 18 years and after six games my job is under pressure.”

Stuart Baxter’s words during the week were of a man who was feeling the pressure. The first part of this statement has the potential to backfire badly, so you need to back it with results on the field. And his team did just that.

4 – Chiefs’ 4-0 win was Stuart Baxter’s second-biggest winning margin in a league game as a Kaizer Chiefs coach, after the 6-0 win over AmaZulu in 2012.

Keagan Dolly – Winner

Spending on a 28-year old marquee signing with an injury history like Keagan Dolly always bears the considerable risk. If the signing does not work out, the team is stuck in a long-term contract for a player with little to no resale value. But the early signs are that this was a risk worth taking. Five goal involvements in only six starts is a good return for any player, but it’s even more impressive when you consider that Dolly had 4 goal involvements in over 60 games throughout his stay in France (Transfermarkt).

2 – Dolly scored more goals in one game for Chiefs than he managed in 5 seasons and 60+ appearances in France (1).

Khama Billiat – Winner

Another goal for the Zimbabwean international, who is now the sixth all-time top scorer in PSL history. Only Siyabonga Nomvete (123), Mabhuti Khanyeza (110), Daniel Mudau (110), Tico-Tico Bucuane (104), Collins Mbesuma (103) have scored more goals than Billiat. He needs 8 more to join the 100-goal club.

3 – Keagan Dolly & Khama Billiat have combined for three goals this season, more than any other Kaizer Chiefs duo.

Sekhukhune – Winner

They may be flying under the radar, but they are doing so quite well. Above Chiefs, Pirates, and AmaZulu in the league table, Babina Noko is well on their way to a solid first top-flight season.

11 – Only three newly-promoted sides in the 30-game PSL era have accrued more points at this stage of the season than Sekhukhune’s 11 points. All three of those previous sides finished in the Top 8 in those campaigns.

Kaitano Tembo – Winner

The good news: Supersport’s 15 points from their opening seven games, their joint-best total at this stage in their PSL history.
The bad news: They also had the same total at this stage last season (also 2011/12).

It’s not how you start a marathon that matters, but how you finish. But for now, Tembo deserves to be a winner.

5 – This was the first time Kaitano Tembo used all 5 subs in a league game this season and only the second time since the start of last season.

Marumo Gallants – Loser

Four teams represented the PSL on the continent this weekend, and none of them lost. However, three of them drew their ties with Gallants being the only team that managed to come out victorious.

Gavin Hunt – Loser

The Kaizer Chiefs debacle was supposed to be a blip in his stellar career, but Gavin Hunt’s rebound is not looking too promising either. The main reason (and it seemed valid at the time) many defended his Chiefs tenure was that he was not allowed to sign any players. That reason will start to sound like an excuse if Chippa’s continue on their current trajectory.

2 – Hunt has won just 2 of the 12 encounters against Stuart Baxter, losing six and drawing the other four.

Chippa United – Loser

They have five points in seven games and could be the bottom of the league table the next time they kickoff if Marumo Gallants & TS Galaxy both win their midweek games.

1 – Only once before have Chippa won fewer points at this stage of a PSL season (4 in 2019/20).

Cape Town City – Loser

Momentum is a good thing in football, especially when you’re heading for a major Cup final that could have massive repercussions for your season. The 4-0 win over Swallows in the Cup semi will soon be a thing of a distant memory, especially when you consider that City has scored fewer goals in six league matches than in that semi-final rout.

They are getting in the right positions, and creating lots of chances, but are just not clinical enough for a side with their ambitions. They’ll need to work on that ahead of the Cup final, where they are likely to see fewer opportunities.

3 – City has scored three goals in their opening six #DSTVPrem games, their fewest at this stage of the season in their top-flight history.