Season in Review: Five talking points from the 2024/25 Betway Premiership

Sundowns league dominance

Mamelodi Sundowns continued to dominate in the league this season, spending most of the weeks perched on top of the Betway Premiership standings with minimal threat of being overtaken by second placed Orlando Pirates.

After a wobbly start under head coach Manqoba Mngqithi, further impacted by the long-term injury to star midfielder Themba Zwane, the Chloorkop-based side decided to replace Mngqithi with Portuguese coach Miguel Cardoso.

Masandawana's squad depth and the consistency of their key players, combined with the 59 goal contributions from new signings Iqraam Rayners and Arthur Sales, helped the team maintain strong results under the new coach.

Furthermore, the Brazilian attack was well led by star forward Lucas Ribeiro, who contributed to more than 30 goals in the 2024/25 season.

The efficiency in front of goal was rewarded with an emphatic Betway Premiership title win, with Masandawana becoming the first team in PSL history to reach 100 goals in a single campaign in all competitions.

The Club World Cup-bound side boasts a huge array of talent, with quality players like Kobamelo Kodisang and Thapelo Maseko struggling for game-time.

It will take a huge effort for any team to dethrone the Tshwane giants in the 2025/26 season, as they return with added experience from the upcoming Club World Cup and strengthen their squad with new signings.

Kaizer Chiefs goalscoring conundrum

Amakhosi entered the new season under the guidance of new coach Nasreddine Nabi, with the Tunisian tactician calling for patience as he set out to build a competitive team and restore the glory days of the Soweto giants.

The team started brightly with two consecutive wins before a first loss to Sundowns back in September. From that point, Chiefs lacked consistency, failing to win back to back matches for the next 13 fixtures in all competitions.

Despite creating chances, Chiefs failure to convert the opportunities allowed the opposition to gain confidence to eventually score against the leaky defense.

In the January transfer window, the Soweto giants acquired new faces, notably the impressive duo of midfielder Thabo Cele and forward Glody Lilepo.

Lilepo managed to become the club's top goal scorer this season (6 goals in all competitions) despite only playing for half of the season, further emphasizing Chiefs trouble in front of goal during the 2024/25 campaign.

Amakhosi also scored the same number of goals (25) in the league as the previous season's tally, but conceded two more goals in this campaign (32).

Chiefs missed out on securing a Top 8 spot following a winless run in their last nine matches of the Betway Premiership season, drawing five of those matches with three of them ending goalless.

The was, however, a silver lining, as Glamour Boys ended a ten-year trophy drought by lifting the Nedbank Cup with a memorable final victory over arch-rivals Orlando Pirates.

Changes are expected in the playing squad, with Chiefs looking to add more quality in order compete domestically and also in the 2025/26 CAF Confederations Cup campaign.

Royal AM debacle

Royal AM's dramatic stint in the PSL top-flight came to a disappointing end this season following many issues that plagued businesswoman Shawn Mkhize's club.

The KwaZulu-Natal based team began the 2024/25 season on the back foot, having received a transfer ban from FIFA due to non-payment of former striker Samir Nurkovic after his contract was terminated by the club.

This meant head coach John Maduka had a very thin squad, which even culminated in the club's Diski Challenge team being unable to field a team in the reserve league.

The PSL took action against Royal AM, suspending and eventually expelling the team from the DStv Diski Challenge.

In January, the teams woes worsened, with SARS placing the team under curatorship, hoping to recoup a tax debt of around R40-million that the KZN businesswoman owes them through a family trust.

However, following a failed deal to sell the club, facilitated by SARS-appointed curator Jaco Venter, forced the league's top brass into making the decision to expel Thwhihli Thwahla from the PSL.

The decision meant that all 11 matches played by the team were nullified and the points earned by other sides in those fixtures were removed. This also meant that none of the 15 remaining teams could get automatically relegated.

Monnapule Saleng Saga

Orlando Pirates had a impressive season but failed to kick on and get results at the end of the season, leading to a CAF Champions League semi-final elimination, losing points in pursuit of champions Mamelodi Sundowns and losing in the Nedbank Cup final against Kaizer Chiefs.

The Buccaneers heavily relied on youngsters in attack, mainly due to issues surrounding Monnapule Saleng, who was sidelined for most of the campaign due to reported conflict over his salary and contract.

He had already contributed to the MTN8 title triumph, scoring twice and providing an assist in the tournament, starting every match, before being suddenly left out of the squad in late September.

The 2022/23 DStv Premiership Players' Player of the Season would go on to play only 16 more minutes for the club in the 2024/25 season, coming on as a substitute against Richards Bay.

Despite Mohau Nkota's impressive displays, many felt that he sometimes lacked the experience of Saleng, who was already a part of Hugo Broos' set-up and had proven himself in big matches already.

A happy and playing Saleng could arguably have been the difference in Bucs fortunes this season.

Cape Town City crumble

The Citizens had a tricky start to the season, winning three of their opening 9 matches of the season before a loss to Sekhukhune United led to the club relieving coach Eric Tinkler (now at Sekhukhune) of his duties.

City roped in the experienced Mushin Ertugral to lead the team on an interim basis, and he started off his stint with shock 1-0 back-to-back wins against Soweto giants Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

However, the joy was short-lived, as City spiraled out of form, winning just one of their next 11 league fixture whilst being knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by Sekhukhune United.

In March, the club parted ways with Ertugral following a 1-0 loss at home to Marumo Gallants, with assistant coach Diogo Peral tasked with removing the club from the relegation playoff spot.

City then only collected five out of a possible 18 points in their final six fixtures of the Betway Premiership campaign, eventually finishing in 15th position and having to fight for their top-flight status against Mostepe Foundation Championship duo, Casric Stars and Orbit College.