Mokoena pips Saleng to PSL’s top award as footballer of the year

Mamelodi Sundowns predictably walked away with the most — and biggest — prizes in the Premier Soccer League’s (PSL’s) annual season-end awards, held virtually on Sunday for a third year running.

Midfielder Teboho Mokoena was named footballer of the year, beating the challenge of teammate Ronwen Williams and Orlando Pirates’ Monnapule Saleng to the coveted award, which comes with a R250,000 cheque.       

Mokoena was instrumental in Sundowns’ central midfield as he helped them annex a sixth consecutive PSL title, but he was not the only winner from the marauding side known as The Brazilians.

While he did not get the main award, Williams was named goalkeeper of the year and his coach, Rhulani Mokwena, beat Pirates’ Jose Riveiro to the coach of the year honours. Gavin Hunt of SuperSport United was another candidate in that category, but Sundowns did not lose a single league match after Mokwena was named head coach last October.

Khuliso Mudau (defender of the year) and Cassius Mailula (young player of the year) wrapped up a dominant night for Sundowns, who also had anchorman Mokoena named midfielder of the year to claim his second award of the evening. Downs’ seventh award was picked up by Peter Shalulile, who shared the top scorer award with Khanyisa Mayo of Cape Town City with 12 goals.

It was not all doom and gloom for Pirates as Saleng also bagged two awards: the Premiership player’s player of the year and MTN8 last man standing.

Elsewhere, Kaizer Chiefs may have had a horrid season but they claimed some consolation as Yusuf Maart’s long-range strike in last October’s Soweto Derby against Orlando Pirates was named goal of the year.

Stellenbosch’s Iqraam Rayners was named the player of the tournament for the Nedbank Cup, despite his team getting eliminated at the semifinal stage.

Award winners

Footballer of the season: Teboho Mokoena (Mamelodi Sundowns)

Premiership players’ player of the year: Monnapule Saleng (Orlando Pirates)

Coach of the season: Rulani Mokwena (Sundowns)

Goalkeeper of the season: Ronwen Williams (Sundowns)

Defender of the season: Khuliso Mudau (Sundowns)

Midfielder of the season: Teboho Mokoena (Sundowns)

Young player of the season: Cassius Mailula (Sundowns)

Top scorers: Khanyisa Mayo (Cape Town City) and Peter Shalulile (Sundowns)

Goal of the season: Yusuf Maart (Kaizer Chiefs)

Motsepe Foundation championship top scorer: Ashley Cupido (Cape Town Spurs)

MTN8 last man standing: Monnapule Saleng (Pirates)

Nedbank Cup most promising player: Olwethu Makhanya (Stellenbosch)

Nedbank Cup player of the tournament: Iqraam Rayners (Stellenbosch)

Diski Challenge player of the season: Luphumlo Sifumba (Cape Town City)

Diski Challenge top scorer: Mervin Boji (Stellenbosch)