Maritzburg United chairman Farook Kadodia is upset with the Premier Soccer League leadership for scheduling their potential relegation decider against Mamelodi Sundowns four days ahead of the rest of the fixtures.
Sundowns will host Maritzburg United at Loftus Stadium on Tuesday, 16 May, next week, while the rest of the final DStv Premiership games will be played on Saturday, 20 May.
The game was given this date because Sundowns will host Wydad Athletic Club at Loftus Stadium next week Saturday in the second leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final.
However, this is complicating things for Maritzburg, whose game against Sundowns will be their last this season, while the other teams who are fighting for relegation will have more days to prepare and also head into their games, knowing the result of the Team of Choice and which results will be required off them to finish above them on the log.
The club has written to the league to request the game to be played on the 23 May, when Marumo Gallants’ match against Swallows is rumoured to be scheduled.
As it stands, it leaves things not balanced and the club is demanding fairness because not all the teams will be playing their games on 20 May.
“We will fight to the end,” said Kadodia to the iDiski Times.
“We have had so many obstacles about various things that we have, but we have to deal with that. Like the date against Sundowns, because they have put it on Tuesday, 16 May, four days before all the other teams fighting for relegation will be playing.
“You have to have all the teams fighting for relegation playing on the same day.
“I’m not fine with that because how can we be playing four days before? Look, I only hope that we beat Stellenbosch FC [at Harry Gwala Stadium on Saturday 15:00] because if we don’t beat Stellenbosch then we are out [relegated], there is nothing for us.
“But if we beat Stellenbosch, you can’t play four days before the other teams because that is very dangerous.
“I have written to the league but they said the dates were set for a long time, but Sundowns wants to play in the afternoon [on Tuesday] for the crowd to come and lift the trophy.”
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While Maritzburg have written a letter to the league to see the game moved, at this stage the PSL has not changed the scheduling, even though the Gallants vs Swallows match and the Chippa United against Golden Arrows are in the consideration to be played on 23 May.
Gallants, who have played 29 league matches, will host Young Africans in the second leg of the CAF Confederation Cup on Wednesday next week.
To make matters worse, Maritzburg have not defeated Sundowns away in a league match since match-day three of the 2012/13 season.
Sundowns, on the other hand, are determined to break their league record of 71 points, gained in 2015/16 season under Mosimane, and a win over Maritzburg would see them move to 72 points, something never done before and a clear target of coach Rulani Mokwena.
