Former Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Brighton Mhlongo has backed Sipho Chaine to win the Goalkeeper of the Season award during the PSL awards ceremony on July 27.
With 21 clean sheets, Chaine set an all-time PSL record this season with the highest number of clean sheets, surpassing Ronwen Williams’s mark of 18.
The 29-year-old has been nominated alongside former Siwelele player Ricardo Goss, who returned to his parent club Mamelodi Sundowns, and Kaizer Chiefs’ Brandon Petersen.
Mhlongo said Chaine has done well this season after playing a role in guiding the Buccaneers to a treble – the Betway Premiership, the MTN8, and the Carling Knockout.
“Sipho Chaine has done tremendously well for the club, surpassing Moeneeb Josephs’ record of clean sheets [17] at Orlando Pirates and winning a treble as well,” Mhlongo told the media during the Engen Knockout Challenge launch in Durban.
“[He’s been] Consistently performing at the highest level and being rewarded as well as being with Bafana Bafana at the World Cup. It goes without saying he will be the Goalkeeper of the Season 2024/25, and yes, there were questions that Sundowns won the league and Ronwen Williams this and that.”
With the goalkeeper being the favourite to win the award ahead of Goss and Petersen, Mhlongo said he did a huge favour for himself by performing the way he did after there were doubts when he won it in the past.
“I don’t know why I’m explaining this because sometimes I know it is received otherwise,” he said.
“But if you look at the numbers, the performances and the achievements of the team and as an individual, Sipho Chaine is the goalkeeper of the season; that’s my opinion.”
Both Petersen and Goss were outstanding for their respective teams this past term. Petersen kept 15 clean sheets for Amakhosi in 24 matches and helped them finish third on the log table, while Goss kept 14 in 29 appearances for Siwelele.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Sign up (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.