VANDERBIJLPARK.- The much-anticipated DStv Diski Challenge (DDC) between Orlando Pirates and Royal AM will not take place as scheduled.
This game was supposed to happen at Isak Steyl Stadium in Vanderbijlpark on Saturday. This means the Pirates will again not play this weekend after their game against Kaizer Chiefs was canceled due to lightning over the past weekend.
Pirates Reserve team Coach Joseph Makhanya said this would affect their momentum as the teams started closing the gap at the top. Royal AM’s participation in the DDC for the 2024/25 season’s reserve league has been halted. According to the Premier Soccer League, the club is unable to put out a team in the U23 DDC for reasons related to the FIFA transfer ban.
Local soccer fans looked forward to this encounter but were disappointed to learn that the game would not happen. Local fans have been following Pirates and Sekhukhune United DDC games. The two PSL babies use the Isak Steyl Stadium, in Vanderbijlpark, for their home games.
“We will improvise to keep the players focused by organising a friendly match. We can’t afford not to play again this weekend. We know what happened in our last game against Kaizer Chiefs where the game was forced to stop. It was for the safety of everyone because there was lightning,” said Makhanya.
