Opta Jabu Newsletter #7: PSL players who've scored more than 3 in a game
On Iqraam Rayners and other PSL players have scored more than three in a game?
This past weekend, Iqraam Rayners netted five goals against Polokwane City, becoming only the second player in PSL history and the first South African to score five goals in a single PSL league game. The unofficial title for a five-goal game by a player is a glut, so it can be said only two players in 28 years of PSL history have ever managed a glut. It’s as rare a feat as it is impressive and is the subject of our newsletter this week.
5-goal gluts.
James Chamanga was a Moroka Swallows player when he got his glut in December 2007. After joining Swallows from SuperSport at the start of the season, the Zambian national started the season slowly. Two goals in his first seven appearances would not have been a predictor for what was to come that day. While Swallows went into this game in 10th position, they had the joint-leakiest defence in the league at the time, conceding 15 in the first 11 matches. Platinum Stars meanwhile were soaring in 2nd on the standings and had scored 16 goals at the time, the joint-most (table-topping Ajax had 16 too). If you told Ian Gorowa (then Swallows coach) and Thierry Mulonzo (then Stars coach) that one team would score six goals, they’d both have thought Platinum Stars. As it were, Chamanga was the hero, grabbing three goals between 20 and 25 minutes. The last two goals came in the final five minutes of the game.
4-goal hauls
There are 14 other instances in PSL history where a player scored more than 3 goals in a game. The first such occurrence came just a month into the PSL era. Pollen Ndlanya bagged four goals in a 7-2 win against Witbank Aces. The last player to net 4+ in a game is Gabadinho Mhango, whose haul helped Arrows to a 4-2 win over Black Aces in April 2016. Oddly, both hauls came on Freedom Day (2016 for Mhango, 2024 for Rayners). Below is a list of all players who have scored more than three goals in a league game.
1996/97: 24 Sep 1996 Chiefs 7-2 Witbank Aces (Ndlanya Pollen)
1996/97: 18 May 1997 Chiefs 5- 1 Michau Warriors (Williams Mark)
1997/98: 16 Jan 1998 Sundowns 4-2 Bidvest Wits (Chukwu Raphael)
1998/99: 3 Feb 1999 Sundowns 7-1 Vaal Professionals (Mudau Daniel)
1999/00: 6 Aug 1999 Jomo Cosmos 4-1 Orlando Pirates (Nhleko Nkosinathi)
1999/00: 19 Apr 2000 AmaZulu 5-0 Mother City (Ndlanya Pollen)
2001/02: 2 Oct 2001 Manning Rangers 4-0 Supersport (Mushangazhike Gilbert)
2005/06: 21 Dec 2005 Moroka Swallows 4-2 Free State Stars (Niang Mame)
2007/08: 9 Dec 2007 Moroka Swallows 6-2 Platinum Stars (Chamanga James)
2007/08: 10 May 2008 Supersport 4-2 Moroka Swallows (Mashego Katlego)
2012/13: 11 Aug 2012 Kaizer Chiefs 6-0 AmaZulu (Parker Bernard)
2012/13: 29 Sep 2012 Pretoria U. 5-1 Ajax Cape Town (Ngoma Aubrey)
2015/16: 16 Jan 2016 Polokwane 4-1 Supersport (Mncwango Thobani)
2015/16: 27 Apr 2016 Golden Arrows 4-2 Black Aces (Mhango Gabadinho)
2023/24: 27 Apr 2024 Stellenbosch 5-0 Polokwane City (Iqraam Rayners)
Four goals in a half
One other thing that stood out for Rayners was that four of the goals came in one half of the game (second). This is only the 4th time in PSL history a player scores 4+ in a single half of a game. Mudau remains the only player to next 4+ in the first half of a game, but Rayners is joined by three others for 4+ goals in any half.
Four goals in the 1st half
1998/99: 3 Feb 1999 Sundowns 7-1 Vaal Professionals (Mudau Daniel)
Four goals in the 2nd half
2001/02: 2 Oct 2001 Manning Rangers 4-0 Supersport (Mushangazhike Gilbert)
2007/08: 10 May 2008 Supersport 4-2 Moroka Swallows (Mashego Katlego)
2023/24: 27 Apr 2024 Stellenbosch 5-0 Polokwane City (Iqraam Rayners)
