Slight uptick in DStv Premiership goals this campaign

There were 24 more goals scored over 240 games in the DStv Premiership last season compared to the year before, but it was still among the lowest returns in a 30-game campaign.

A total of 503 goals were netted, the fourth lowest since the league was reduced to 16 clubs ahead of the 2002/03 season, but a welcome jump from what had been a record low in 2021/22.

This poor showing that year was despite a late season flurry that actually markedly improved the numbers, but with 479 goals scored in 240 matches, it was the first time in history that the league finished with an average of less than two goals per match.

Back to 2022/23 and eight clubs – or half the league – scored less than one goal per game across their 30 matches. They were Richards Bay (20 goals), Maritzburg United (24), Sekhukhune United (24), Swallows FC (26), Marumo Gallants (27), TS Galaxy (28), Chippa United (29) and AmaZulu (29).

That is actually the same number as 2021/22, where Sekhukhune (21) were the lowest scorers. They are generally good defensively, so if they could add goals to their game would be a team going places.

Not surprisingly, Mamelodi Sundowns (52) were the leading scorers this past season, though that is down from 56 the year before, followed by Orlando Pirates (40). Stellenbosch Fc (39) were the surprise third most prolific team.

So why the low numbers these days? Have the stakes become too high for coaches, who go into games not to lose rather than go for the win? That certainly seems the case and perhaps the fact that several sides were in a relegation scrap right up until the final few weeks played a part.

Before 2021/22, the previous worst scoring season was the 2017/18 campaign, when there were only 490 goals (2.04).

That was narrowly worse off than 2009/10 (499 goals at 2.08 per game), which is the only other occasion in which there were fewer than 500 goals netted.

But the following season after that, perhaps in the post-2010 World Cup excitement, there were 602 goals scored at 2.51 per game, which is the highest in a 30-game DStv Premiership campaign.

The overall best season for scoring was the 1999/00 campaign when there were 823 goals scored in 306 games (it was a 34-game season) at an average of 2.69, which is about comparable with the ratio in the top five European leagues these days.

GOALS PER GAME IN THE PSL SINCE 1996/97

34-GAME SEASON

1996/97: 692 at 2.26 per game

1997/98: 736 at 2.41 per game

1998/99: 782 at 2.56 per game

1999/00: 823 at 2.69 per game

2000/01: 725 at 2.37 per game

2001/02: 754 at 2.46 per game

30-GAME SEASON

2002/03: 581 at 2.42 per game

2003/04: 566 at 2.36 per game

2004/05: 574 at 2.39 per game