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5 talking points: PSL week 4

Cape Town - There were 20 goals scored across the seven matches that took place in the PSL this weekend – an average of just under three per game.  

See all the weekend's PSL results HERE!

There was an upset, a comeback and a questionable display of refereeing that all feature in Sport24’s five talking points this week.

CHIEFS RAMPANT

SuperSport United fielded a strong side against the league champions on Saturday and they took a 1-0 lead into the break. Steve Komphela and Chiefs were suddenly facing their first real test of the season and they passed with flying colours. Four unanswered goals in the second half secured the three points but also made a massive statement to anybody who still doesn’t think Amakhosi are title favourites. They are a side capable of passing the ball into the net when they get it right. The quality is evident all over the pitch and Chiefs are certainly the team to beat at the moment.

SUNDOWNS TAKE AN ARROW TO THE HEART      

If Pitso Mosimane’s Mamelodi Sundowns want to be in the mix at the end of the season then they simply cannot lose games like this one. Take nothing away from Arrows, who have made a stellar start in their bid for survival by amassing seven points already. Sundowns’ plight was not helped by Bongani Zungu’s first half red card but even with 10 men you would have backed them to create more chances than they did.

QUESTIONABLE REFEREEING

The refereeing display from Lwandile Mfiki in the Jomo Cosmos v Platinum Stars game was the most puzzling thing to have happened all weekend. In the first half, Cosmos midfielder Ndumiso Mabena was shown a straight red card for a challenge that was barely a challenge. Replays suggested that he had hardly put a foot out, but Mfiki had clearly seen something else. Then, Mfiki decided to award Cosmos an indirect free kick for a back pass that simply never happened. Cosmos lost the game 2-1, but it was Mfiki's refereeing that stole headlines. 

ERNST, YOU STAR

Ernst Middendorp marked his return to PSL management with a win as Free State Stars trounced Chippa United 3-0. Stars were up against it for large periods of the match, and the clean sheet will mean as much to Middendorp as the goals. It was a much-needed win for Ea Lla Koto, who lifted themselves off the foot of the table in the process. Let’s hope for Ernie’s sake that things work out a bit better at Stars than they did at Chippa.

MARITZBURG IN TROUBLE

The Team of Choice have now gone four games without a win after they went down 2-0 at home to Bloemfontein Celtic on Saturday. Replacing Steve Komphela, who secured the club their best ever league finish last season, was always going to be tough. But in Mandla Ncikazi United have a man who knows Komphela better than most. The signs are there fleetingly for Maritzburg, but Ncikazi will know better than anyone that all of the good intention in the world counts for nothing in football without results.

*Follow Sport24's @LloydBurnard on Twitter...

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