Marumo Gallants fixture with Mamelodi Sundowns postponed after PSL confirmation

Marumo Gallants president Abram Sello has confirmed that the club’s Betway Premiership season opener against Mamelodi Sundowns has been postponed, with the match now scheduled for 19 August, subject to any further changes.

Gallants had been due to face the reigning champions in their first league game of the campaign this weekend, but Sello revealed that the Premier Soccer League (PSL) has officially moved the fixture following a request involving Sundowns and the two clubs.

Speaking to Soccer Laduma at a Gallants event in Sandton, Johannesburg, on Tuesday, Sello explained that the club had been informed of the situation well in advance.

“Sundowns are more advanced. They told us two weeks back after we heard the death case of their squad member and other factors around their logistics,” he said.

“They requested us, and the PSL, and the triangle worked very well, and it has also been confirmed today that it has been postponed. It will be on the 19th (of August) if the date does not change again. We won’t be playing Sundowns (this weekend). We will be doing other things.”

The PSL has communicated the postponement to the club, and Gallants are now working on the basis that the Sundowns clash will be played later this month unless the league revises the schedule again.

Extra preparation time for new coach Mohafe

While the delay disrupts their original programme, Gallants believe the change could prove beneficial as it offers new head coach Phuti Mohafe additional time on the training ground before his first competitive assignment.

The club used Tuesday morning’s event not only to address the fixture situation but also to present their new signings, as Mohafe continues to rebuild and reshape the squad ahead of the new season.

With the Sundowns encounter pushed back, Gallants are now focusing on their upcoming first match against Kruger United, which will serve as Mohafe’s debut in the dugout.

Sello suggested the revised schedule may help Gallants, who are adapting to significant changes in their technical team and playing personnel.

“We’ve got a new coach and a new technical management, and we have new players, so it gives us much more time to prepare as well. We hope it works to our advantage in terms of our pre-season being extended. But we will see when we play our first game against Kruger.”

Background to the postponement

Sello indicated that Sundowns first approached Gallants about a possible postponement around two weeks ago, shortly after news of a death affecting a member of the Sundowns squad and other logistical complications emerged.

According to Sello, Sundowns raised the issue with both Gallants and the PSL, leading to a three-way agreement to move the fixture.

The Gallants president described the process as cooperative, emphasising that all parties were aligned in reaching a solution and that confirmation from the PSL came through on Tuesday.

The match, originally billed as a high-profile opening test for Mohafe’s side against one of the dominant forces in South African football, will now take place later in August, giving Gallants more time to integrate their new arrivals and refine tactical plans before they meet Mamelodi Sundowns.