Sipho Chaine reached a major milestone as Orlando Pirates secured a commanding 2-0 Betway Premiership victory over Stellenbosch FC at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday night. Evidence Makgopa and Patrick Maswanganyi both found the net in the first half to guide the Buccaneers to a crucial win that moved them to 62 points, just two behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns with three matches remaining in the season. The clean sheet proved particularly significant for the hosts, as it marked a historic achievement for both Chaine and the club.
The 29-year-old goalkeeper has etched his name into Orlando Pirates record books with his 18th league clean sheet of the season, surpassing the previous club mark of 17 set by Moeneeb Josephs in the 2008/09 campaign. Remarkably, Chaine has also equalled the Premier Soccer League record of 18 clean sheets in a single season, matching the achievement of Mamelodi Sundowns' Ronwen Williams from the 2022/23 season. With three matches still to play, the Orlando Pirates shot-stopper is ideally positioned to break this record outright and cement his place among the league's elite goalkeepers.
Chaine's exceptional form this season has been fundamental to his side's title charge. Having featured in 39 matches across all competitions while conceding just 15 goals overall, the goalkeeper has been a steadying influence throughout the campaign. As the race for the championship intensifies, Chaine's consistency and shot-stopping ability could ultimately prove decisive in determining whether Orlando Pirates can close the gap on Sundowns in the final weeks of the season.