Latest Q2 standings after today's Soweto Derby and Platinum Stars tennis match

Take that: Collins Mbesuma scored the opening goal  at Soccer City yesterday

This is how the PSL Q2 table contenders look SIX games in, two to go for the second R2.5m bonus of the season.

Platinum Stars came back from 4-2 down to beat struggling Golden Arrows - under new management with Manqoba Mngqithi - 6-4.

Dikwena are now within three points of PSL Leaders Kaizer Chiefs and level on points with second-placed Orlando Pirates. It was their eighth win in nine games.

Norman Smith, Musa Bilankulu (brace) and Bhekisizwe Nkosi were all on the scoresheet for Arrows, while the home side netted through Henrico Botes (two), Mogakolodi Ngele (two). With time up, the sides were locked at 4-4 before late goals from Siphelele Mthembu and Thuso Phala.

Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates shared the points at Soccer City with Collins Mbesuma - as he did for Zambia at the same venue - putting the first goal past Itumeleng Khune.

Mbesuma had a second goal wrongly ruled out for offside before Stuart Baxter's table-toppers produced a neat equaliser from Lehlohonolo Majoro.

A spectacular volley from sub Benni McCarthy narrowly failed to break the deadlock with both Baxter and Pirates boss Roger de Sa complaining about referee Robert Smith's officiating after the final whistle.

Baxter said: “I don’t know about everybody else, but I just would have liked to see stronger officiating because that gives us a better game of football. I was upset, Roger was upset, even the referee seemed upset, but I would have liked stronger officiating."

De Sa said: “I saw their number 31 [Willard Katsande] make five horrendous tackles and not get booked; our first tackle got a booking. I also saw a pass back for the disallowed goal. I know Stuart asked for a firm referee but, well… I’m not a referee.”

Tower Mathoho was named man of the match for another stirring performance at the heart of the AmaKhosi defence - and a powerful long-distance strike on goal.

Pirates remain unbeaten in the second quarter but their midweek 0-0 draw with Chippa United means they are toppled in the Q2 race by Platinum Stars, who have won FIVE out of six and are now third in the PSL table. 

In Tshwane, AmaTuks produced a last-gasp 1-0 win over struggling Chippa United thanks to a James Okwuosa own goal.

1 Platinum Stars        6..5..0..1..13..7..15
2 Orlando Pirates      6..4..2..0..11..2..14
3 Kaizer Chiefs          6..4..1..1..12..6..13
2 Mburg United         6..3..1..2..6..4..10  

Roger and OUT: why Palmgren had to part ways with AmaZulu

Swede dreams: Roger Palmgren

AMAZULU reacted swiftly to their weekend plunge back to the foot of the PSL – by finally sacking Swedish head coach Roger Palmgren.

The final straw came on Sunday, when Mamelodi Sundowns finally registered their second win of the season to creep off the bottom, courtesy of a 1-0 win at Bloemfontein Celtic.

AmaZulu went down 1-0 to Free State Stars at the Moses Mabhida and despite a recent resurgence of sorts – they stand 11^th in the Q2 table with a win over AmaTuks and a draw against Sundowns last week – management was forced to act.

Usuthu General Manager Peter O’Connor said on the club website: “We met with Roger and advised him that his services have been terminated with immediate effect and informed the players and the technical team of what has happened.

“Fani Madida will be caretaker coach until we have announced the new coach which will hopefully be will soon.”

Under the Swede this season, AmaZulu recorded two League wins - but one of them came while Palmgren was on leave attending a family bereavement in Sweden.

Palmgren’s career has been largely African based with his spells in charge of the Sierra Leone national side dominating a CV which also features the DR Congo and Rwanda before he arrived in South Africa in 2009 to take over at Thanda Royal Zulu.

Palmgren told www.soccerladuma.co.za yesterday: “I’ve been replaced, some changes had to be made. I’m quite disappointed, we had a record season last season but this season I didn’t get the players I wanted.

“I’m very proud of what I’ve achieved and we’ve produced a lot of talent. This season didn’t go well from the start, but that’s football.”

Madida will probably be in charge for the December 5 clash at Leopards as AmaZulu attempt to improve on a record of 12 games, two wins, three draws and seven defeats.

Despite last Wednesday’s draw at Sundowns, Palmgren – who still boasts Bafana’s veteran AFCON  winning coach Clive Barker on his staff – must have known it was only a matter of time before AmaZulu did what rock-bottom QPR did to Mark Hughes in the English Premier League last week.

Palmgren is not the winner of the PSL sack race this season – he trails in a distant sixth behind  Maarten Stekelenberg (Ajax Cape Town), Roger Sikhakane and Mngqithi (both Chippa United), Muhsin Ertugral (Golden Arrows) and Augusto Palacios (Orlando Pirates).

This story also appears with my regular Tuesday Neal & Pray column in www.thenewage.co.za tomorrow.

The PSL Q2 table appears below:

1 Orlando Pirates    4..4..0..0..10..1..12
2 Mburg United       4..3..1..0..6..2..10 
3 Kaizer Chiefs        4..3..0..1..8..5..9
4 Plat Stars                4..3..0..1..6..3..9
5 FS Stars                  4..2..1..1..3..2..7 
6 Bloem Celtic          4..2..0..2..3..3..6
7 Leopards                 4..2..0..2..3..6..6 
8 Chippa Utd            4..1..2..1..7..6..5
9 Sundowns              4..1..2..1..4..5..5
10 Ajax CT                 4..1..1..2..4..5..4
11 Amazulu                4..1..1..2..2..3..4
12 Wits                        4..1..1..2..3..5..4
13 SuperSport U       4..0..3..1..5..6..3 
14 AmaTuks               4..0..2..2..2..4..2 
15 Swallows                4..0..1..3..4..9..1 
16 Arrows                    4..0..1..3..2..7..1