A clean sheet gives you an upper hand – Onyango

Mamelodi Sundowns finished the first half of the DStv Premiership this season on top of the log with thirty-three points. Masandawana have the second best scoring record in the league, having found the back of the net on twenty-four occasions. At the other end of the pitch, the number of goals conceded is the best in the DStv Premiership so far this season with only seven goals scored against the Brazilians.

Denis Onyango has been putting out some stellar performances this season and it is not a surprise that in the fourteen games he has played, he has conceded four times and has ten clean sheets to his name.

“The season has turned out to be a good one, as we started badly when we lost in the MTN8. We pulled ourselves together with a few clean sheets, it all started against Kaizer Chiefs. The boys worked very well as they knew the task at hand. We as the goalkeeping department have a challenge that we need to get as many clean sheets as possible as a clean sheet gives you an upper hand. We have conceded seven goals in fifteen games, it looks good and credit to all of the guys because we have been doing well.” said Onyango.

“My personal target is to get as many clean sheets as I can, help the team with the fourth league title in a row and become the first team to do that as there is no team that has done that. It is possible to do that but I can’t do it alone, we must do it as a team, sometimes I might not play, but there are other goalkeepers that can also help. I must also make sure that I support them when they play as it is a team effort. The support I get from the keepers is incredible and it pushes me to do better. The season is long, we have Champions League and it won’t be easy but it is the path we chose for ourselves and if we fight we will do well and defend our [Domestic] titles “.

In the treble-winning season, Denis played twenty-one league games and had eight clean-sheets, this season he has already bettered that tally.

“We have a lot of clean sheets in the first half and that is the hard work from the guys. It is not only about saving the ball that comes to the goals but it’s the defence that has been good from the team. We have our target as you know if you keep many clean sheets you stand a chance to win the league. We look forward to the second round of the league, the Champions League and the Nedbank Cup”, concluded Onyango.