Pirates will have no time to rest after final
ORLANDO Pirates will have a hectic schedule when they return home after Friday’s CAF Confederation Cup final in Nigeria.
The Premier Soccer League have not announced the details of the three matches that were postponed because of Pirates’ CAF commitments, but they have listed the three fixtures on their website.
Apart from Pirates’ three outstanding fixtures, the rest of the Premiership matches will be completed on Saturday.
Pirates’ remaining opponents are Royal AM, Maritzburg United and SuperSport United, and the outcome of these matches will no doubt have a bearing on the final positions on the Premiership log.
Pirates’ rescheduled Premiership fixtures are on May 25 (Maritzburg United at Orlando Stadium), May 29 (Royal AM, Chatsworth Stadium,
Durban) and June 1 (SuperSport United at the Lucas ‘Masterpieces’ Moripe Stadium).
The fixtures against Maritzburg may have a bearing on the relegation battle.
The team finishing bottom will be automatically relegated, and the team in 15th place will proceed to the PSL promotion/relegation playoffs starting Sunday, May. 29
The two National First Division teams Cape Town All Stars (third place) and the University of Pretoria (AmaTuks, runners-up) will kick off the three-team mini round-robin tournament, which will end on
June 15, when the Premiership’s 15th-placed team host AmaTuks.
Maritzburg are in 13th place, and even though they will only be playing their remaining match on May 25, this position could change depending on the results of Saturday’s matches.
For example, wins for TS Galaxy and Swallows FC could push Maritzburg at least one place down into 14th position.
Pirates’ other two matches will have a bearing on the final top eight positions and may also decide which teams will play in next season’s CAF competitions.
Meanwhile, Pirates have received good wishes from Al Ahly coach
Pitso Mosimane ahead of Friday’s showdown against Moroccan outfit RS Berkane.
Mosimane has had a personal interest in Pirates’ progress. He was chosen by CAF to help conduct the draw for the teams to play in the Confederation Cup’s group stages a few months ago. At the time, he said on live television Pirates would reach the final.
His Twitter post read: “I want to congratulate my fellow South African team for making CAF Confederation Cup Final. When I conducted the CAF draw, I tipped them (Pirates) to make the final. Thank you for making it true.”
Friday night’s winners will go on to play the winners of the CAF Champions League (either Ahly of Egypt or Morocco’s Wydad AC) next season for the CAF Super Cup trophy.