Posted in Features, News on Aug 22, 2021.
Opening omens bode well for Chiefs
The 2020-21 DStv Premiership season kicks off this weekend and it will see Chiefs start the season on Sunday against TS Galaxy, the same team they beat on the final day of last season to finish amongst the top eight teams in the standings.
This coming campaign will see Chiefs play in their 52nd league season in South African football, with their first league campaign back in 1971.
We took a numerical look at Chiefs’ opening league games since 1971.
0 – In 51 previous opening league games, Chiefs have been involved in just four goalless games.
1 – Chiefs’ first league game in the club’s history was an 11-1 home triumph against African Wanderers on the 17th April 1971.
2 – In the PSL era since the inauguration of the league in 1996-97, Chiefs have been involved in just two opening league clashes that have ended goalless, against Santos in 2009-10 and against Chippa United in 2015-16.
3 – In Stuart Baxter’s first spell in charge of Chiefs he won all three of his opening league games of the season, defeating Amazulu 6-0 in 2012-13, Mpumalanga Black Aces 1-0 in 2013-14 and Free States Stars also 1-0 in 2014-15. As Chiefs coach in his first spell in charge Stuart Baxter’s teams scored eight goals without conceding in the opening game of the 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 season.
4 – This will be the 9th time in ten seasons, starting in 2012-13, that Chiefs will be kicking off a league campaign away from home.
5 – In the PSL era the-most number of successive opening league games won by Chiefs is five, starting with the 2010-11 season and including the 2011-12, 2012-13, 2013-14 and 2014-15 campaigns.
6 – Chiefs biggest win in their opening game of a league season in the PSL era was a 6-0 triumph over AmaZulu in their opening game in 2012-13.
9 – Between 1971 and 1979 Chiefs won their opening league game in nine successive seasons, before losing their opening game in 1980 3-1 to Hellenic.
15 – In the PSL era since 1996-97, Chiefs have won their opening league game on 15 occasions, no team has won more of their opening league games in this period than Chiefs.
16 – Chiefs have kicked off a new league campaign on the road 26 times previously, winning 16 games at the start of a new league season when beginning away from home. They have drawn 8 games and lost just 2 times since 1971, in 1980 against Hellenic and 2016-17 against Wits.
17 – Ace Ntsoelengoe holds the record for the most goals scored by a Chiefs player in their opening league game of a season, scoring a combined 17 goals in seven different Chiefs opening league games of a season.
26 – Chiefs kick off their 26th league campaign in the Premier Soccer League era, since 1996-97 Chiefs have won 15, drawn 6 and lost 4 of their previous 25 opening league games in the PSL Era.
27 – Chiefs have kept 27 clean sheets in their previous 51 opening games of a league season since 1951. In the PSL era they have kept 10.
52 – This will be Chiefs 52nd opening game of a league campaign, previously they have won 36 games, drawn 10 and lost 5.
71 – Chiefs have a 71% win rate in their opening league game of a season, stretching back to 1971.
127 – Chiefs have scored 127 goals in their 51 games when opening up a new season, at 2.49 goals per game.
