Riveiro equals Pirates record.
150 goals for the Spaniard and details on the best stats from PSL MD2
The middle of the week (after a long weekend) saw a full round of PSL action, with three games played on Tuesday, 4.96 on Wednesday, and 0.4 of a game on Thursday. Yes, the Golden Arrows & Magesi game was played over two days after an 86th-minute interruption (later abandoned for the night). For a midweek schedule, a lot of stats emerged. Here are the Top 5 - some shared, some new.
On Jose Riveiro
What we shared: Nothing
What we’re sharing:
150 - Pirates have now scored 150 goals in all competitions under Jose Riveiro (89 in the league, 61 in Cups), equaling Ruud Krol as the coach with the most goals for the club in the PSL era.
While the Spaniard has done this in 26 fewer games (93 compared to Krol’s 119), his 1.6 goals per games is still just behind two other coaches (and we mean just).
Best goals per game ratio for coaches with 100+ goals at Pirates (PSL era only):
1.7 - Viktor Bondarenko
1.7 - Kostadin Papic
1.6 - Jose Riveiro
On Gabadinho Mhango
What we shared: Nothing
What we’re sharing:
7 - The goal for Marumo Gallants (vs. Sundowns) means Gabadinho Mhango has now scored at least one league goal for seven different PSL clubs. Only one player (Alton Meiring) has scored for more different teams in the PSL era.
Most different clubs scored for (top-flight & league only):
9 - Alton Meiring
7 - Gabadinho Mhango
7 - Mabhuti Khanyeza
7 - Mxolisi Macuphu
7 - Katlego Mashego
7 - Collins Mbesuma
7 - Siphelele Mthembu
Meiring scored league goals for AmaZulu, Moroka Swallows, Sundowns, Cape Town Spurs, Manning Rangers, Jomo Cosmos, Mother City, Golden Arrows & Platinum Stars.
On Monnapule Saleng
What we shared:
100% - Orlando Pirates have won all 19 games in which Monnapule Saleng has scored (24 goals in all competitions), marking the best 100% win rate when scoring by any player at the club in PSL history.
What we’re sharing:
Only 15 players have scored more goals for Orlando Pirates in the PSL era than Monnapule Saleng (who is now on 24). Next up on the ladder is Mpho Makola (25). He needs five more to break into the Top 10.
On MD1 & MD2
What we shared:
9 - Kaizer Chiefs have won their opening two league games of the season for the ninth time, more than any other side in PSL history.
What we didn’t share:
Times a team won their opening two games of the season:
9 - Kaizer Chiefs
7 - Mamelodi Sundowns
6 - Orlando Pirates
4 - Bloem Celtic
4 - Supersport Utd
3 - Jomo Cosmos
Can this be a competitive season?
Look, it’s still too early to say - only two games have been played. The following expression can provide some context:
If the league season were a full day from 6 AM to 9 PM, we’re only at 7 AM (yet to eat breakfast). If the league season were a full year from January to December, we’re only on January 24 (still in January).
That said, there’s no harm in getting excited - you have to go back to the early 2000s for some of these stats:
What we didn’t share:
25 - For the first time in 25 years, more than two teams have scored at least five goals in their opening two matches.
22 - For the first time in 22 years, at least five teams have won their opening two league games.
Till next time...