New fixture scheduled next week for Sundowns

Mamelodi Sundowns’ next scheduled match in the Betway Premiership against Marumo Gallants will be played next week before they leave for Mali for the second leg of their African Champions League quarterfinal.

The decision to move the game to Tuesday, March 17 at Loftus Versfeld in Pretoria is sure to raise the ire of coach Miguel Cardoso, who has already criticised the Premier Soccer League for fixturing league games ahead of key Champions League fixtures.

Sundowns played on Tuesday, when they overcame struggling Orbit College 2-0 to keep up their battle with Orlando Pirates for the lead at the top of the table.

They play again on Friday at Loftus when they host Stade Mailen in the first leg of their quarterfinal match-up and must now play another game before the return leg of their tie in Bamako on Sunday, March 22.

“No one in South Africa should be playing a Champions League match and a championship match three days before,” Cardoso said earlier this week.

“Everybody should be provided with conditions to be successful in representing the country at international level,” the Sundowns coach added.

But his words seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

The PSL has brought forward Gallants’ next match against Lamontville Golden Arrows on Sunday to a Saturday afternoon kick-off at Atteridgeville.