The rise of Platinum Stars: how they finished TOP of Q2

Stars rising: Dikwena celebrate their 1-0 win over SuperSport on Saturday

SO this is how Platinum Stars, once known as Silver Stars and before that Khakhu Fast XI (established in 1937) got to earn the R1.5m prize for winning the second quarterly PSL prize for topping the Q2 table by a single point from unbeaten champions Orlando Pirates.

I'll be running a full story on the history of Dikwena as my Neal and Pray column in The New Age on Tuesday, but suffice to say they are now just a point behind leaders Kaizer Chiefs in the full PSL table.

With Moroka Swallows losing 2-1 at Bloemfontein Celtic today, the bottom of Q2 belongs to the flightless Dube Birds with Zeca Marques lamenting in Mangaung today: "We shouldn't have lost that one. It's down to individual mistakes... you can't coach that."

Team                       Played   Won      Draw    Lost   GF    GA       GD    Points

Platinum Stars       7             6             0         1       14           7             7         18

Orlando Pirates     7             5             2         0       13           3            10        17

Kaizer Chiefs        7             4             2         1        13           7             6         14

Free State Stars   7             4             2          1          7           4             3        14

MamSundowns     7             3             3          1          8           6             2         12

Maritzburg U        7             3             1          3          7           6             1         10

Bloem Celtic         7             3             1          3          6            6            0         10

SuperSport U         7             1             4         2          9             9           0           7

Chippa United      7             1             4          2          8            9            -1          7

AmaZulu               7             1             4          2          5            6            -1          7

AmaTuks              7             1             4          2          4            5            -1          7

Golden Arrows     7             2             1          4         10          13           -3          7

Ajax Cape Town  7             2             1         4          5            10           -5         7

Black Leopards   7             2             1         4          5            10           -5          7

Bidvest Wits        7             1             3         3          4             7             -3         6
Moroka Swallows 7             0             1         6          6            16           -10        1

The eight-match Q3 battle kicks-off on Tuesday with Kaizer Chiefs playing at Soccer City against resurgent AmaZulu and declining Maritzburg United against AmaTuks at the Harry Gwala before the AFCON break.

More on this and an in-depth look at Platinum Stars in my Neal and Pray column in The New Age on Tuesday.

See www.thenewage.co.za.

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  

By popular demand: the PSL Q2 table. And yes, Pirates are top, Arrows are bottom.

This is how the PSL Q2 table looks four games in, halfway to the second R2.5m bonus of the season:

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