Ever present in the PSL
by Mark Gleeson 06 December 2012, 18:02
Only nine players are left on the list of those who have been ever present in the Premier Soccer League this season -- managing to play every minute of every game this league season so far.
The Platinum Stars pair of Vuyo Mere and Benson Mhlongo dropped off that list in midweek when they missed the 1-0 away win over Maritzburg United.
Mere was suspended and Mhlongo injured.
But goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane, who has conceded just 12 goals this season, continued his run of 1170 uninterrupted minutes in the league.
Maritzburg have the biggest contingent of ever presents with goalkeeper Shu-Aib Walters and defenders Mario Booysen and Ruben Cloete playing every minute of their games to date.
It is a remarkable comeback for Cloete, who only joined the club in June after being given a free transfer after being considered surplus to requirements at champions Orlando Pirates.
Four of the five other players with a 100 percent attendance record tis season are goalkeepers -- Itumeleng Khune (Kaizer Chiefs), Patrick Tignyemb (Bloemfontein Celtic), Pavels Šteinbors (Lamontville Golden Arrows) and Wayne Sandilands of Mamelodi Sundowns.
Sandilands had ceded his place in cup games to back-up goalkeeper Dennis Onyango but then got it back for for Saturday’s Telkom Knockout final when the Ugandan went down with a rib injury.
The only other player who has yet to miss any game time is Sadat Ouro-Akoriko, the tough tackling Togolese defender at Free State Stars.
