24 May 2007

Mamelodi Sundowns' domination of South Africa's Premier Soccer League this season was recognised at the PSL Awards in Johannesburg on Wednesday evening. "The Brazilians" were judged winners in six categories.

The club pocketed R2.6-million for winning the Castle Premiership trophy for the second year in succession, while further awards, worth R675 000, went the team's way.

Biggest individual honours
The biggest individual honours went to midfielder Godfrey Sapula, who went home R200 000 richer after being named the Premiership Player of the Season and the Players' Player of the Season.

Sapula's success replicated that achieved by teammate Surprise Moriri last season. Moriri was again a finalist for the Player of the Year, along with Kaizer Motaung junior, who won five awards at the Kaizer Chiefs Players' Awards evening on Monday.

Sapula, hard to miss with his trademark dreadlocks, provided consistently good performances in the Sundowns' engine room. He also made an impact with his goal scoring, and together with Moriri provided the Brazilians with a double-edged threat from midfield.

Goal scorers
Both players netted nine times, a total bettered by only four players, all of them strikers: Christopher Katongo of Jomo Cosmos scored 15 times, Kaizer Chiefs' Motaung junior 12 times, and Erwin Isaacs of Santos and "Terror" Fanteni of Ajax 11 times.

In a season in which Sundowns, the highest scoring team in the league, averaged only one-and-half goals a game, their contribution from midfield was vital to the club's success.

Sapula also padded his winnings a little more when Sundowns picked up a further R100 000 for being named the Perfectly Balanced Team of the Season.

Finest Moment of the Season
In addition, 'Downs added another R60 000 for the Finest Moment of the Season. That came in their 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in early February when they strung 44 passes together before Jose Torrealba scored.

To top it all off, Calvin Marlin was named Goalkeeper of the Season. The Brazilians conceded only 17 goals in their 30 matches, which was the best defensive record in the PSL.

Although Katongo was transferred from Cosmos to Danish club Brondby in January, he still finished as the top scorer in the league by some distance. This won him the Lesley Manyathela Award and R60 000.

Ajax' successes
Ajax Cape Town also enjoyed some success. The Urban Warriors' Muhsin Ertugral picked up R50 000 as Coach of the Season. He led the club to fourth place in the league after they finished eleventh in 2006.

Interestingly, the man Ertugral replaced at Ajax was Sundowns' coach Gordon Igesund, who must have presented a strong case for Coach of the Season. The Urban Warriors face the Brazilians for the Absa Cup on 26 May.

The Young Player of the Year Award went to talented Ajax midfielder Clifford Ngobeni. Like the Goalkeeper of the Season, it is a new award and was worth R50 000.

Bloemfontein Celtic's supporters did their team proud by again earning the club the Supporters through Commitment Award.

Abdul Ebrahim was named the Referee of the Season, and Toko Malebo was named Assistant Referee of the Season.

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	Godfrey Sapula: PSL Player of the Season 2006/07 (Photo: Mamelodi Sundowns)

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