Oswin Appollis writes name into history books on the opening day of the Betway Premiership

[p]He becomes the latest player to add his name to the list of first scorers in a campaign, continuing his fine form since joining the Buccaneers at the start of last season.[/p][p]Last year, it took [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/marumo-gallants/Gnghzo3C/"]Marumo Gallants[/a] winger [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mabuza-bheki/bm6o1NTg/"]Bheki Mabuza[/a] only three minutes to get on the scoresheet as they went on to win 2-1 away against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/richards-bay/noDZhkBM/"]Richards Bay[/a] in Umlazi.[/p][p]The 23-year-old Mabuza, who has since converted to a central midfielder, went on to score two more league goals as Gallants narrowly retained their top-flight status.[/p][p]The list of first goalscorers of the season is a varied collection of players, some of whom went on to play overseas, like [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zuma-sibusiso/Wb7CN0af/"]Sibusiso Zuma[/a], while others quietly faded into obscurity.[/p][embed guid="f7283a77-59ec-44e4-bfe3-a00df2bbfbdd" url="https://x.com/orlandopirates/status/2083545000017629541?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]Two of the last three seasons have seen the first goalscorer of the league campaign hail from Namibia. [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-town-city/l8K0DYSm/"]Cape Town City[/a]’s new signing [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tjiueza-prins/Wv7ZT64K/"]Prins Tjiueza[/a] took only seven minutes to get on the scoresheet on the opening day of the 2024/25 season, while 12 months earlier it was [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/shalulile-peter/dGGzCwTp/"]Peter Shalulile[/a] who scored after 12 minutes for champions [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/mamelodi-sundowns/lxZ6Bzh6/"]Mamelodi Sundowns[/a] away at [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sekhukhune/UySmgAPp/"]Sekhukhune United[/a] as the 2023/24 campaign got under way.[/p][p]In the 30 seasons of the Premier Soccer League, only three foreign players have scored the opening goal of a campaign.[/p][p]The other was Zimbabwean Ian Gorowa for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-town-spurs/QaZCKNG1/"]Cape Town Spurs[/a] against Mamelodi Sundowns at the start of the 1998/99 campaign. Gorowa would, ironically, go on to become Sundowns coach.[/p][p]The first-ever PSL goal was scored by Warren Lewis for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/amazulu/4jYGJsW7/"]AmaZulu[/a] in 1996.[/p][embed guid="adf33157-e8f5-4a1a-ad01-45b2b908b8bb" url="https://x.com/SSFootball/status/2083547275775574207?s=20" social-type="twitter" /][p]The quickest goal in a new Premiership season since 1996/97 was netted by [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maluleke-osborn/vqw8BXl1/"]Ishmael Maluleke[/a] for Manning [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/manning-rangers/8EFBbQYB/"]Rangers[/a] against Hellenic in the first minute of the 2001/02 campaign.[/p][p]No player has ever repeated the distinction of scoring the opening goal of the season twice.[/p][p]There is no prize for the feat, nor much of a place in the history of the game, but the distinction of scoring the first goal of a new league season always brings a little personal satisfaction.[/p][h2]First to score in a PSL season[/h2][p][b]1996/97: [/b]Warren Lewis for AmaZulu v Manning Rangers in the 8th minute[/p][p][b]1997/98: [/b]Simon Magagula for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/orlando-pirates/p4SF9EMI/"]Orlando Pirates[/a] v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/santos/n3QdnjFB/"]Santos[/a] in the 8th minute[/p][p][b]1998/99: [/b]Ian Gorowa for Cape Town Spurs v Mamelodi Sundowns in the 29th minute[/p][p][b]1999/2000: [/b]Peter Philander for Santos v Bloemfontein Celtic in the 4th minute[/p][p][b]2000/01:[/b] Sam Magalefa for SuperSport United v Manning Rangers in the 18th minute[/p][p][b]2001/02: [/b]Ishmael Maluleke for Manning Rangers v Hellenic in the 1st minute[/p][p][b]2002/03: [/b]Kerryn Jordan for Manning Rangers v Dynamos in the 2nd minute[/p][p][b]2003/04: [/b]Alton Meiring for Manning Rangers v Zulu Royals in the 52nd minute[/p][p][b]2004/05: [/b]Gift Leremi for Orlando Pirates v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jomo-cosmos/SUIhhw7i/"]Jomo Cosmos[/a] in the 50th minute[/p][p][b]2005/06: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/evans-brett/vVtvudA1/"]Brett Evans[/a] for Ajax Cape Town v Jomo Cosmos in the 30th minute[/p][p][b]2006/07: [/b]Marwaan Bantam for Santos v Bloemfontein Celtic in the 16th minute[/p][p][b]2007/08:[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/sibisi-diyo/bB3T7ZhI/"]Diyo Sibisi[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/free-state-stars/f31qPx8m/"]Free State Stars[/a] v Santos in the 2nd minute[/p][p][b]2008/09: [/b]Phikolethu Spelman for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/bidvest-wits/OGvCsoOE/"]Bidvest Wits[/a] v Santos in the 36th minute[/p][p][b]2009/10: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/gould-morgan/nDQ0HZPo/"]Morgan Gould[/a] for SuperSport United v Maritzburg United in the 23rd minute[/p][p][b]2010/11:[/b] Sibusiso Zuma for Vasco da Gama v Orlando Pirates in the 22nd minute[/p][p][b]2011/12: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ndulula-bongani/CpIVwhB6/"]Bongani Ndulula[/a] for Orlando Pirates v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/black-leopards/joVtOm40/"]Black Leopards[/a] in the 10th minute[/p][p][b]2012/13: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ntuli-bongi/MqBWvYIE/"]Bonginkosi Ntuli[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/golden-arrows/C6CjDdNg/"]Lamontville Golden Arrows[/a] v Orlando Pirates in the 18th minute[/p][p][b]2013/14:[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/parker-bernard/CzKw24p7/"]Bernard Parker[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/kaizer-chiefs/fFZ2CGx0/"]Kaizer Chiefs[/a] v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/black-aces/MFYmqktQ/"]Mpumalanga[/a] Black Aces in the 5th minute[/p][p][b]2014/15: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mashego-katlego/0QMHpLri/"]Katlego Mashego[/a] for Mamelodi Sundowns v Maritzburg United in the 2nd minute[/p][p][b]2015/16: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/maluleke-jabulani-percy/EyDhi2Ye/"]Jabu Maluleke[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/polokwane-city/ADz8rR88/"]Polokwane City[/a] v Bloemfontein Celtic in the 8th minute[/p][p][b]2016/17: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/manzini-rhulani/xzIiAC8s/"]Rhulani Manzini[/a] for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/chippa-utd/AiZa0UPS/"]Chippa United[/a] v Free State Stars in the 3rd minute[/p][p][b]2017/18:[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/majoro-lehlohonolo/zHGkkkoJ/"]Lehlohonolo Majoro[/a] for Cape Town City v Bidvest Wits in the 42nd minute[/p][p][b]2018/19:[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mphahlele-ramahkwe/MmQ49IAH/"]Ramahlwe Mphahlele[/a] for Kaizer Chiefs v Mamelodi Sundowns in the 8th minute[/p][p][b]2019/20: [/b]Abubaker Mobara for Cape Town City v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/baroka/8YiJtV3p/"]Baroka[/a] in the 22nd minute[/p][p][b]2020/21: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbulu-richard/WUWWUyQQ/"]Richard Mbulu[/a] for Baroka v Maritzburg United in the 10th minute[/p][p][b]2021/22: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/zwane-themba/hnSM11RK/"]Themba Zwane[/a] (penalty) for Mamelodi Sundowns v AmaZulu in the 44th minute[/p][p][b]2022/23:[/b] [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/modiba-aubrey/tWExAYOC/"]Aubrey Modiba[/a] for Mamelodi Sundowns v Cape Town City in the 61st minute[/p][p][b]2023/24:[/b] Peter Shalulile for Mamelodi Sundowns v Sekhukhune United in the 12th minute[/p][p][b]2024/25:[/b] Prins Tjiueza for Cape Town City v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/royal-am/GC2uQIhs/"]Royal AM[/a] in the 7th minute[/p][p][b]2025/26:[/b] Bheki Mabuza for Marumo Gallants v Richards Bay in the 3rd minute[/p][p][b]2026/27: [/b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/appollis-oswin/6e9QI2W6/"]Oswin Appollis[/a] for Orlando Pirates v [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/milford/vVj5ECUK/"]Milford FC[/a] in the 24th minute[/p]