Kaizer Chiefs have every reason to be worried ahead of their PSL clash against Mamelodi Sundowns this weekend.
Sundowns host Chiefs at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday, March 1 and while the Glamour Boys have been inconsistent, the Brazilians are on a roll.
As the month comes to an end, Sundowns have set a new scoring record, having netted 22 league goals in February alone, more than what 11 other clubs have scored in either 18 or 19 matches.
In fact, only Orlando Pirates (28), Sekhukhune United (25), Stellenbosch and AmaZulu, both with 23 goals, have netted more than 22 goals in all their matches this season, yet Sundowns have done it in their seven games in February.
How did Masandawana dominate February?
Sundowns started February with a 4-0 thrashing of Golden Arrows, then silenced Tshwane rivals SuperSport United 3-0, before a major statement of intent that saw them hammer Pirates 4-1.
A shock 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy followed before a 3-1 comeback win away to Marumo Gallants and in their last two matches, they have scored four in each of them, beating Galaxy 4-1 last weekend before their 4-2 victory over Sekhukhune on Wednesday.
As per OptaJabu, Sundowns’ 22 league goals in February 2025 are their most in a single calendar month. The club’s previous best for one month was 15 in February 1999 and February 2002.
Further, the PSL champions are the first team to score four or more goals in as many league games in the same calendar month. No other team has ever done so more than twice in the same month.
More records broken by PSL champions
With their victory over Sekhukhune, Sundowns opened up a 15-point lead over second-placed Pirates, taking their tally to 51 points from 19 matches, although the Buccaneers have four games.
With that, Sundowns have become the fastest team in PSL history to reach 50 points in a top-flight season, doing so in 19 games, and breaking their own record set in the last two seasons when they did so 20 games in, during both 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons.
Those are scary statistics for Chiefs, who are among the 11 teams that have not scored more than 22 goals this season. Amakhosi have managed 21 goals from their 18 league games and few are giving them a chance against Miguel Cardoso’s well-oiled machine.
Can Chiefs stop the free-scoring Sundowns?
Chiefs have had nearly two weeks to prepare for Saturday’s match but they are coming from a difficult place following their 4-1 thrashing by SuperSport in their last match.
Coach Nasreddine Nabi has already admitted Sundowns are a much-improved team from the one his team has faced twice already this season and their record in February adds to his fears.
Chiefs were still second-best even then, losing 2-1 in the PSL in September, before a 4-0 defeat in the Telkom Knockout in November, and will be worried at what might happen on Saturday now that Sundowns have massively improved.
Sundowns have been dominant in this fixture in recent years as they are unbeaten against Chiefs in their last 11 meetings, winning nine and drawing two, with Amakhosi’s last victory over Sundowns coming in April 2021.
