Onyango refuses to be drawn into Khune ‘best keeper’ claims
Cranes captain Denis Onyango (right) will not be drawn into any discussion of his status-rating in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in the wake of Bafana Bafana great Itumeleng Khune (left) suggesting Uganda’s number one was now the undisputed one in South Africa.
What you need to know:
- A fans’ debate. Debate on who is truly the best goalkeeper in South Africa’s Absa Premier League goalkeeper has raged over the last three to five years, with both shotstoppers by far the standout in the league
Cranes captain Denis Onyango will not be drawn into any discussion of his status-rating in the Premier Soccer League (PSL) in the wake of Bafana Bafana great Itumeleng Khune suggesting Uganda’s number one was now the undisputed one in South Africa.
Khune stirred the debate for the umpteenth time at the weekend by joining a discussion started by a fan on Twitter asking who between the South African goalkeeper and his Ugandan counterpart the best was.
“Let’s settle this,” Khune (IIKHUNE_32_16) intervened, “@masinde Onyango is the best keeper in @OfficialPSL PSL.”
Khune followed that by posting a picture of Onyango, Mohammed Salah and Sadio Mane with their plaques at a Caf awards ceremony saying: “Rubbing shoulders with
the best. Respect.”
Fans of both goalkeepers – from Khune’s Kaizer Chiefs and Onyango’s Mamelodi Sundowns, through the PSL to Bafana Bafana and Cranes – joined in the debate, each backing their own.
Some of Khune’s cheeky responses to the fan comments, affectionately acknowledging those that reassured him of his class and playfully winking at others, left some wondering whether he really meant his endorsement or he was just savouring the lockdown banter.
When asked by Daily Monitor to comment on his rival’s supposed endorsement, Onyango was tact.
“I’m quiet,” he said, “I’m staying away from tweets.
“I will not pour petrol during this lockdown. People are stressing to talk about who is who.”
Not the first time This is not the first time debate on who is better of the two great goalkeepers in PSL has come up.
It heightened when the Sundowns keeper was crowned as African-based Player of the Year for 2016 after leading his side to the Champions League title that year, and later when named in the inaugural FifPro Africa Best XI in 2018.
A debate on who truly is the best PSL keeper ensued, with Chiefs supporters adamant their long-serving captain remained Mzansi’s finest regardless of Onyango’s Caf accolades.
Then Khune himself added fuel to the fire by posting a picture of his four PSL Goalkeeper of the Season awards at the time.
Despite losing captaincy of Bafana Bafana, the 32-year-old continues to command a place in the setup after a year-and-a-half out with injury, while Onyango, 34, is still the undisputed skipper for Uganda and best between the sticks for Mamelodi Sundowns.
