The Premier Soccer League has confirmed that the MTN8 semi-final first leg between Cape Town City and Orlando Pirates has been postponed to Wednesday due to bad weather conditions.
“The MTN8 semifinal first leg fixture between Cape Town City and Orlando Pirates, originally scheduled for this evening [Tuesday] at DHL Stadium, has been postponed to Wednesday at 6pm due to severe weather conditions in the Western Cape,” PSL said in a statement on Tuesday.
“The decision to postpone the match was made following the advice from the City of Cape Town authorities and stadium management, who reported gale-force winds averaging speeds of 67 km/h.
“The adverse weather has led to collapsed buildings, blocked roads due to fallen trees, and impacted stadium facilities. Tickets purchased for today’s match will remain valid for the rescheduled fixture.”
It is yet to be seen whether the second leg between the two sides, which is set to be played on Saturday, will be moved to a different day or proceed as scheduled.
Meanwhile, City coach Eric Tinkler emphasised the importance of keeping a clean sheet at home and aimed to exploit Pirates’ weaknesses in their two-legged tie.
“Pirates, playing at home or away, is always a home game [for them]. They get massive support. But on a personal note, I’ve always felt that the fuller the stadium—whether your supporters or the opposition’s—it makes you raise your game another level,” Tinkler said recently.
“So, I don’t think that plays an effect [on the game]. I think the fact that we are still in this competition means away goals count. So, it’s very important to keep that clean sheet, especially when playing at home.
“They’ve got so many qualities. They have a massive squad to choose from. Their [pre-season] preparations have been exceptional. Obviously being able to go to Spain and play against the type of opposition that they’ve played against.”
