Who will win the goal of the season award? Chiefs, Sundowns and Pirates fans prepare for one final battle
Mamelodi Sundowns may have pipped Kaizer Chiefs to the league title on the final day of the season last month but there's small matter of another fiercely contested accolade that is still up for grabs.
The goal of the season award has become a huge talking point in South African football and the fact that the winning strike is decided through votes from the fans ensures that the stakes are very high.
Voting opened on Wednesday and moments after the Premier Soccer League (PSL) had signalled the start of the race, the Chiefs, Sundowns and Orlando Pirates fans took to social to taunt each other.
Voted for Manyama’s scorcher against the Rand Stadium tenants. pic.twitter.com/sRujCfiXhq
— Dabane (@Mkhu28) October 7, 2020
The massively popular Chiefs have three representatives in the pot after Dumisani Zuma won the goal of the month in November, Samir Nurković in December and Lebogang Manyama in February.
Sundowns' lone representative is Hlompho Kekana and he won the gong at the start of the recently ended season in August last year. Cape Town City's Thabo Nodada won it in September/October last year, Orlando Pirates' Gabadinho Mhango in January and Thabiso Kutumela from Maritzburg United was the last winner of the season in August/September.
While the other accolades at the annual PSL Awards will be decided by journalists, former players and coaches, the Chiefs fans take great delight in knowing that the goal of the season gong is entirely in their hands.
It is unfair on Hlompho that the #AbsaPrem decided to allow fans to vote on the goal of the season. This means that the player in the team with the largest number of fans will win the award.
— Dr. Hloni Moyake (@HloniMoyake) October 7, 2020
But Hlompho deserves the award.
They have flexed their considerable muscle each time a Chiefs player has been nominated for the goal of the month award and ensured that the gong went to Naturena.
They will be back in full force one last time this season and it remains to be seen if Sundowns, Pirates, Maritzburg and City fans can spring a surprise in this fiercely contested space and pull the rug from under their feet.
Voting is on the PSL website, www.PSL.co.za until midnight on October 15, 2020 and the top seven goals from the 2019/20 season as voted by the fans are now live on the site.
Khosi-Nations, We Are Voting For Our Own. Manyama, Zuma And Nurkovic ✌#AbsaPrem pic.twitter.com/6NhKPapHBO
— Benedict_Makwala (@Tumi_Benedict) October 7, 2020
The goal of the month award winners were selected from August 2019 until September 2020 and the winning goal will be unveiled at the PSL Awards.
The goal that receives the highest number votes will be announced as the goal of the season.
Members of the public will be limited to one vote a day.
Sundowns just know that you won't beat the Soweto giants wen it comes to voting ciao #AbsaPrem
— Chicken Of The Year (@KagisoFlyMoagi) October 7, 2020
#AbsaPrem I don’t care about Hlompo Kekana’s goal being beautiful, I will vote for Kaizer Chiefs player, if you want him to win just vote and stop complaining Tsek pic.twitter.com/uj3DXXwH99
— #ChasingTheDream🙇🏻♂️ (@SdizoRSA) October 7, 2020
#Absaprem
— Sduduzo Mncwabe (@shufflesdu) October 7, 2020
Kekana scored the best goal.
Nurkovic may win simply because #Amakhosi4Life have the voting power.
❤ & ✌
The nominees for the 2019/20 goal of the season award are:
August 2019: Hlompho Kekana (Mamelodi Sundowns)
September/October 2019: Thabo Nodada (Cape Town City)
November 2019: Dumisani Zuma (Kaizer Chiefs)
December 2019: Samir Nurkovic (Kaizer Chiefs)
January 2020: Gabadinho Mhango (Orlando Pirates)
February 2020: Lebogang Manyama (Kaizer Chiefs)
August/September 2020: Thabiso Kutumela (Maritzburg United)