Champions Wits look likely to drop points in first game of title defence if previous stats are anything to go by

New champions Bidvest Wits will be hoping their first league match of the new season‚ as they begin the defence of the title on Friday‚ ends better than that of the champions of preceding seasons.

But if the trend is to be kept up then Wits look likely to drop points at home when they meet Cape Town City in the league season’s opener on Friday night.

A draw is the likely outcome‚ according to the stats.

The last three champions have been held to a draw in the defence of their title.

But overall the stats do point to a positive start for the champions.

Since the Premier Soccer League was launched 21 years ago‚ the defending champions have won 10 out of 20 times in their first match of the season following their title success for a win percentage of 50 percent.

There have been six draws and four losses.

The last club to lose in the first match after a winning season was SuperSport United in 2011 when Gavin Hunt was still their coach … beaten 3-0 by Wits!

Last year‚ title holders Mamelodi Sundowns started their league season with a goalless draw against Maritzburg United.

Performances of defending PSL champions in their first game of following season:

1997-98 Cape Town Spurs 0 Manning Rangers 3

1998-99 Cape Town Spurs 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 1

1999-00 SuperSport United 1 Mamelodi Sundowns 4

2000-01 Mamelodi Sundowns 0 Umtata Bush Bucks 1

2001-02 Orlando Pirates 2 Umtata Bush Bucks 1

2002-03 Jomo Cosmos 2 Santos 3

2003-04 SuperSport United 2 Orlando Pirates 0

2004-05 Dynamos 1 Kaizer Chiefs 4

2005-06 Bush Bucks 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1

2006-07 AmaZulu 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 0

2007-08 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 AmaZulu 2

2008-09 SuperSport United 1 Free State Stars 0

2009-10 Maritzburg United 1 SuperSport United 1

2010-11 Bidvest Wits 3 SuperSport United 0

2011-12 Black Leopards 0 Orlando Pirates 2

2012-13 Orlando Pirates 2 Lamontville Golden Arrows 1

2013-14 Mpumalanga Black Aces 0 Kaizer Chiefs 1

2014-15 Mamelodi Sundowns 1 Maritzburg United 1

2015-16 Chippa United 0 Kaizer Chiefs 0

2016-17 Maritzburg United 0 Mamelodi Sundowns 0 PSL Defending Champions record in opening game P W D L GF GA GD 20 10 6 4 30 16 +14

- TimesLIVE