Pirates and Sundowns to invade Kaizer Chiefs’ lair!

Orlando Pirates will host Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership showdown at FNB Stadium on March 16, according to reports on Monday.

ALSO READ: Stellies upset as Chiefs Nedbank Cup venue is moved

The match has been moved from Orlando Pirates’ regular home at Orlando Stadium. It will also take place a day later than originally scheduled.

The match between the top two in the Premiership is expected to attract a large crowd. It remains to be seen, however, whether Pirates and Sundowns can sell out FNB Stadium.

Double standards?

The move is unlikely to impress Stellenbosch FC. Stellies expressed their disappointment last week at the refusal of Orlando Pirates and the Premier Soccer League to move their Premiership game against the Buccaneers forward by a day from March 11 to March 12.

This refusal has forced Stellenbosch to take their home Nedbank Cup quarterfinal against Kaizer Chiefs on March 8 outside of the Western Cape. The game will be played at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Gqeberha.

Stellies originally wanted to play Chiefs at Athlone Stadium on March 9 (Athlone Stadium was not available on March 8). But Fifa rules say the same venue cannot be used two days apart. So Stellies asked to play Pirates on March 12 at Athlone Stadium, but both the Buccaneers and the league turned them down.

Pirates and Sundowns both play on March 11 and now both will have an extra day off before they meet at FNB Stadium.

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Will Pirates still be in the title race?

It remains to be seen if the game on March 16 is any sort of true title showdown. Pirates trail Sundowns by a massive 18 points, though Jose Riveiro’s side do have four games in hand. Sundowns hammered Pirates 4-1 at Loftus Stadium when these two sides met in the reverse fixture on February 8.