Mabasa v Rayners: Pirates’ and Stellies’ race for second also involves battle for top scorer

As Orlando Pirates battle steady-as-a-rock Stellenbosch FC for second place in the DStv Premiership in Saturday’s final round, an interesting subtext will be that a player from either side will also be out to wrap up the top scorer prize.

The roles of leader and chaser in this contest are reversed. Pirates’ big striker Tshegofatso Mabasa has been the model of scoring consistency, especially in the final two-thirds of the season and leads the league scoring chart with 15 goals.

Iqraam Rayners was further off the pace. Then the mobile Stellenbosch forward, whose running on and off the ball and striker’s instinct for being in the right place in and around the box keeps defenders guessing for 90 minutes, smacked in five goals from all angles in high-flying Stellenbosch’s 5-0 thrashing of Polokwane City at Danie Craven Stadium on April 27.

Stellenbosch (50 points from 29 matches) meet desperate, second-last-placed Richards Bay FC at King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday and Pirates (49 points) meet SuperSport United at Orlando Stadium.

Adding needle to Rayners' and Mabasa’s contest is that the Stellenbosch man was named in Bafana Bafana coach Hugo Broos’s provisional squad for next month’s huge 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Nigeria and Zimbabwe, but the Pirates striker controversially was not. Broos famously does not like introducing players in big matches. That Rayners played in the friendlies in Algeria against that country and Andorra in March, and scored in the 3-3 draw against the hosts in Tunis, must have counted in the Stellies player's favour with the national boss.

Mabasa has not had a recent call-up, partly due to his form coming later in the 2023-24 domestic season, which would seem to explain Broos’s resistance for an inclusion for the bulky Pirates man, though a final squad is to be named soon and the national coach still has room for a change of mind. Given the injury to Lebo Mothiba, uncertainty over Lyle Foster and recent return from injury for Evidence Makgopa, a big man like Mabasa’s physical influence up front could be an asset in two such crucial qualifiers, where, after Nigeria’s poor start, positive results could see Bafana in the Group C driving seat.

Either way, Mabasa, who has proved his scoring ability repeatedly, including while emerging at Bloemfontein Celtic and when loaned by Pirates to Moroka Swallows, will be out to re-establish his credentials to Broos, and everyone else, by clinching the Golden Boot this weekend.

Pirates have spurned chances to put the race for second position, and a place in next season’s Caf Champions League, in their own hands as they suffered defeats against Richards Bay and, on Saturday, TS Galaxy, where wins would have seen Jose Riveiro’s side go above Stellenbosch on the final day.

Steve Barker’s tough Stellies have a one-point advantage despite their remarkable consistency, which brought 17 league games unbeaten, only faltering with losses against Moroka Swallows then champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Realistically there is one other player in the mix with an outside chance, and it is a genuine long shot, of snatching the top scorers’ prize from under Rayners and Mabasa’s noses.

Sundowns’ Brazilian striker Lucas Ribeiro Costa has had an outstanding maiden Premiership season since signing from Belgian outfit SK Beveren in July. The pacy, skilful 25-year-old has 12 league goals and will need four goals, and for the players above him on the chart not to score, to take the Golden Boot. Sundowns meet Cape Town City at Loftus Versfeld in their final game, where they will lift the league trophy for a record-extending seventh successive time.

SuperSport’s Bradley Grobler, with 11 goals, would need to score five against Pirates and hope others do not score, to take the prize.

DStv Premiership top scorers’ chart

1. Tshegofatso Mabasa, Orlando Pirates 15

2. Iqraam Rayners, Stellenbosch FC 14

3. Lucas Ribeiro Costa, Mamelodi Sundowns 12

4. Bradley Grobler, SuperSport United 11

5. Khanyisa Mayo, Cape Town City 10

6. Sphiwe Mahlangu, TS Galaxy 8

6. Samir Nurković, TS Galaxy 8

6. Chibuike Ohizu, Sekhukhune United 8

6. Peter Shalulile, Mamelodi Sundowns 8

Premiership final round — Saturday (all 3pm):

• AmaZulu v Lamontville Golden Arrows, Moses Mabhida Stadium
• Mamelodi Sundowns v Cape Town City, Loftus Versfeld
• Moroka Swallows v Royal AM, Dobsonville Stadium
• Richards Bay v Stellenbosch FC, King Zwelithini Stadium
• Cape Town Spurs v Kaizer Chiefs, Athlone Stadium
• Orlando Pirates v SuperSport United, Orlando Stadium
• Chippa United v Sekhukhune United, Buffalo City Stadium
• Polokwane City v TS Galaxy, Old Peter Mokaba Stadium