Sipho Chaine reached a major milestone as Orlando Pirates secured a 2-0 Betway Premiership win over Stellenbosch FC at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night.
First half goals from Evidence Makgopa and Patrick Maswanganyi ensured victory for the Buccaneers, taking them to 62 points – just two behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns – with three matches remaining in the season.
Clean sheet milestone
The result marked Sipho Chaine’s 18th league clean sheet of the season, a new club record for Orlando Pirates.
In doing so, he surpassed the previous mark of 17 set by Moeneeb Josephs during the 2008/09 campaign.
Chaine has also now equalled the Premier Soccer League (PSL) record of 18 clean sheets in a single season, set by Mamelodi Sundowns’ Ronwen Williams in the 2022/23 season.
With three matches still to play, the Orlando Pirates shot-stopper is well-positioned to break the record outright.
Impressive season stats
The 29-year-old has been a key figure for Orlando Pirates this season, featuring in 39 matches across all competitions, conceding just 15 goals and keeping an impressive 25 clean sheets.
Since joining the club from Chippa United, Chaine has made 136 appearances, recording 60 clean sheets and conceding 88 goals.
Title race connection
Ronwen Williams’s record-breaking season coincided with Mamelodi Sundowns lifting the league title – and Orlando Pirates will be hoping Sipho Chaine’s form can inspire a similar outcome.
With the title race finely poised, Chaine’s consistency at the back could prove decisive in the closing stages of the campaign.
Orlando Pirates remaining fixtures
Saturday, 9 May: Magesi FC vs Orlando Pirates, Seshego Stadium – 20:00
Saturday, 16 May: Orlando Pirates vs Durban City, Orlando Amstel Arena – 15:00
Saturday, 23 May: Orbit College vs Orlando Pirates, Royal Bafokeng Stadium – 15:00
Will Sipho Chaine go on to break Ronwen Williams’s record?
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