New Carling Cup a treat for local fans

The PSL’S Carling Black Label competition will be held this year, and not next year after all – a bonus for fans starved for action towards the end of the year.

The sponsors have requested that the knockout tournament be held in November as the PSL has no knockout cup competition, besides the Nedbank Cup, usually played six months into the season.

In the past few years, the Carling Cup featured only Soweto giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs, but the new format will include all 16 PSL clubs, voted in by their supporters to make it more interesting.

The final four teams with the most votes will play the one-day event on November 12, similarly to the Charity Cup with festivities galore.

But there is also the pressing matter of the kickoff of the 2022/23 Dstv Premiership scheduled to start next weekend, with some interesting ties.

PSL champions Mamelodi Sundowns kick off the defence of their league title with an away assignment against Cape Town City on Friday, August 5, at 7.30pm in a match that could be tricky for the side that has won the league title five times in a row.

The original Soweto derby pits home side Orlando Pirates against traditional rivals Swallows on Saturday, August 6, at 3pm, while Kaizer Chiefs travel down to Durban to face Royal AM also on Saturday at 5.30pm.

As far as the first Soweto derby goes, the crowd-pulling fixture between arch-rivals Chiefs and Pirates is scheduled for October 29, and in the second round of the season the derby is on February 25 next year.

Rookies Richards Bay open their account in the elite league with a Kwazulu-natal derby away to Lamontville Golden Arrows on Saturday at 3pm.

The new format will include all 16 PSL clubs voted in by their fans

The MTN8 competition starts on August 12, and the last matches of the 2022/23 Premiership season will be on May 20 next year.

The final of the Nedbank Cup will take place on May 27. Premiership opening fixtures Friday: Cape Town City v Stellenbosch (Cape Town, 3pm)

Saturday: Marumo Gallants v Stellenbosch (Peter Mokaba, 3pm); Golden Arrows v Richards Bay (Princess Magogo, 3pm); Orlando Pirates v Swallows (Orlando, 3pm); Royal AM v Kaizer Chiefs (Chatsworth, 5.30pm); Maritzburg United v Sekhukhune (Harry Gwala, 8pm)

Sunday: TS Galaxy v Amazulu (Wits, 3pm); Supersport United v Chippa United (Lucas Moripe, 3pm).