Orlando Pirates will play three matches in seven days after their Premier Soccer League fixture against TS Galaxy was rescheduled for 13 October.
The match at Orlando Stadium, Soweto, will take place three days after the MTN8 final and four days before the return of the CAF Champions League.
The revised date gives the defending PSL champions a demanding start to a busy October, as they attempt to compete for domestic and continental silverware.
Pirates’ listed fixtures are:
– Orlando Pirates v Mamelodi Sundowns – Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban, 18:00
– Orlando Pirates v TS Galaxy – Orlando Stadium, Soweto, 19:30
– African Stars v Orlando Pirates – Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone, 15:00
– Orlando Pirates v African Stars – Orlando Stadium, Soweto, 19:30
– Orlando Pirates v Kaizer Chiefs – Orlando Stadium, Soweto, 15:30
The kick-off times have been confirmed by the Orlando Pirates website and ESPN Africa.
The TS Galaxy encounter was originally scheduled for 18 October but was moved because of a clash with continental fixtures. According to Soccer Laduma, the change has also affected Kaizer Chiefs, Mamelodi Sundowns, AmaZulu and their respective opponents.
Under the initial schedule, Pirates would have had seven days to recover and prepare after the MTN8 final. The amended programme instead leaves them facing three fixtures within the same seven-day period.
The Carling Knockout Cup is also due to begin on 24 October, according to the PSL website, adding to the pressure on a squad competing across several fronts.
Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has already made effective use of squad rotation in an effort to manage fatigue among his players. The compressed run of matches will provide a test of Pirates’ squad depth as the club pursues further silverware.
There has been some positive news on the injury front. Orlando Pirates have confirmed on their website that Evidence Makgopa and Thalente Mbatha have returned to full-team training.
Mohau Nkota and Andre de Jong are also “making progress” with their rehabilitation, although they have not yet been confirmed as ready to return to competitive action.
Sihle Nduli, meanwhile, is set to complete two weeks of field-based rehabilitation before he can rejoin full team training.