Africa-Press – Namibia. MAMELODI Sundowns are looking forward to “more goals, celebrations and records” from Peter Shalulile after the Namibian captain agreed to a five-year contract extension with the South African champions on Sunday.
The deal will keep the 28-year-old on the books of Sundowns until 2027 when he will be 33 years old, cooling suggestions that the free-scoring forward was on his way out of the club and heading to Europe.
Windhoek-born Shalulile has been on the books of Sundowns since 2020, after joining from Highlands Park.
While his time with Downs has been successful, the one trophy that he has yet to win with the club is the CAF Champions League.
That is the prize that will be on top of Masandawana’s ambitions for next season.
“I’m so grateful and pleased to have a signed an extension with the yellow nation. Please join us this season as we continue to make history. The sky is the limit,” Shalulile said in a video announcing his new lucrative deal, which has reportedly made him the highest paid player in South Africa.
‘FOX IN THE BOX’
Blistering pace and lethal finishing have become the hallmark of Shalulile’s skill set at Mamelodi Sundowns. An incredibly composed finisher in the final-third, the Namibian goal-machine was one of the cornerstones of Sundowns treble-clinching campaign.
Commentators who fondly referred to him as the ‘fox in the box’ were absolutely spot on.
From the lung-busting runs on the flanks to the exquisite headers in the box, Shalulile is sensationally cementing his legacy as one of the very best strikers to ever grace the Premier Soccer League (PSL).
Flourishing as the team’s key attacking outlet, Shalulile grabbed the headlines for his goal-scoring performances throughout the campaign.
Consequently, the fleet-footed forward claimed both the 2021/22 PSL footballer of the season and player’s player of the season awards. The Sundowns marksman also clinched the top goal scorer award for scoring the most league goals with 23 strikes to his name. Thus, he equalled Collins Mbesuma as the only other player to win the top-scorer award twice.
“Winning the treble means a lot to the team after a long campaign. These titles are proof that we are doing something right at Mamelodi Sundowns.
“On a personal note, I am very excited to be recognised, yet again, for my consistency in the league. There is certainly more we can achieve at the club. For the next season, we will push again to bring the trophies back to Chloorkop,” he told Sundowns’ online magazine.
LETHAL WEAPON
One of Shalulile’s major highlights of the 2021-22 campaign occurred when he scored back-to-back hat-tricks against Golden Arrows and Moroka Swallows in April – the first player in premiership history to achieve that feat.
Shalulile’s total of 23 goals was two shy of Mbesuma’s league-record tally of 25 goals registered in 2005.
The Sundowns forward scored eight goals more than his nearest competitor – Royal AM’s Sepana Victor Letsoalo with 15, in the race for the Golden Boot.
Overall, Shalulile bagged 30 goals across all competitions in 45 games during the season. He also showed his inventiveness by creating seven assists during the campaign.
Since he joined The Brazilians, Shalulile has smashed in 52 goals from 85 games, and also registered 15 assists.
In other categories, Masandawana left-back and Bafana Bafana international, Lyle Lakay claimed the defender of the season award. The 30-year-old was in seventh heaven after the announcement.
“This is one of the most exciting moments of my career. Contributing to the historic treble at Mamelodi Sundowns means so much to me. Winning this award makes the season even a greater achievement in my personal career,” said Shalulile. – Adapted from Mamelodi Sundowns Magazine
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