Play-off winners to meet Chiefs
Champions Kaizer Chiefs begin their Premiership title defence against the winner of the National First Division (NFD) playoffs, the Premier Soccer League (PSL) said on Thursday.
With the results of the NFD playoffs still pending after a series of legal setbacks, Chiefs would have to wait for the outcome of the round-robin fixtures to see which team they would meet in their opening round.
As it stands, Mpumalanga Black Aces lead both Chippa United and Santos by two points, and were favourites to gain entry to the country's top-tier, which would begin in the first week of August.
Coupled with the outcome of those fixtures, Premiership teams would also have to wait for a court ruling and internal processes at the PSL to confirm whether Polokwane City had indeed been crowned NFD champions.
Stuart Baxter, who won his maiden league title in his first season in charge of the Amakhosi last month, take his team to Dobsonville to tackle Moroka Swallows the following week, before playing SuperSport United in their third fixture.
Roger De Sa, in his first full season at Orlando Pirates, starts the 2013/14 fixtures with a home tie against Durban outfit AmaZulu.
De Sa, who replaced Augusto Palacios in September, would then travel with the Buccaneers to Cape Town to take on Ajax the following week.
Newly-appointed Gavin Hunt's Wits side would look to improve on their fourth-placed finish when they start against last season's runners-up Platinum Stars, before hosting Golden Arrows.
SuperSport United, who unveiled Cavin Johnson as their new coach on Wednesday, start with a tricky home fixture against Free State Stars.
Mamelodi Sundowns will look to bury last season's disaster when they travel to defending Telkom Knockout champions Bloemfontein Celtic, before returning home to face Platinum Stars.
The season runs through until May, when Chiefs, SuperSport United and Platinum Stars -- who are all expected to be in the running for the title -- conclude their Premiership season at home.
Chiefs face AmaZulu, United take on the winners of the NFD, while Stars round-off their season against Ajax Cape Town. Pirates play Golden Arrows away from home on the last day.
(File Photo: Gallo Images)
-Sapa