CAPE TOWN – Despite the ongoing Tendai Ndoro-Ajax Cape Town saga, the Premier Soccer League has confirmed the fixtures for the opening round of the Absa Premiership on Monday.
Champions Mamelodi Sundowns will host Kaizer Chiefs in a potentially thrilling first match of the season on Saturday, August 4 at 3pm at Loftus Versfeld. Masandawana beat the Amakhosi 2-1 in the Shell Helix Ultra Cup pre-season game at the FNB Stadium at the weekend, but that will count for little in the league.
A number of sub-plots will add lustre to the occasion – new Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas against Pitso Mosimane, and of course former Sundowns stars Khama Billiat and Leonardo Castro turning out for the Glamour Boys. It will also be interesting to see how Sundowns fare without last season’s PSL joint-leading scorer Percy Tau.
That massive clash is followed by Gavin Hunt facing off with Luc Eymael when Wits host Free State Stars in Johannesburg, while a Limpopo Derby sees Black Leopards facing Polokwane City at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium.
Benni McCarthy’s Cape Town City are at home to SuperSport United, who still haven’t announced a permanent successor to Eric Tinkler – with Kaitano Tembo still the interim coach.
Saturday’s action is concluded by Orlando Pirates against last season’s NFD champions Highlands Park at Orlando Stadium, while AmaZulu and Baroka FC square off in Umlazi. There are two matches on Sunday, with Chippa United away to Steve Komphela’s Bloemfontein Celtic, and a KZN derby between Maritzburg United and Golden Arrows.
OFFICIAL: 2018/19 #AbsaPrem opening weekend fixtures confirmed.... pic.twitter.com/DwmPBYoLYM
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) July 23, 2018