View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Soccer Laduma (@soccer_laduma)

Chiefs v Downs sold-out: Effects of late arrivals explained

The issue of tickets being sold at FNB Stadium and yet only half of the orange seats being occupied at the allocated kick-off time has been raised again ahead of Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns squaring off once more this season.

When the two teams met in another sold-out affair at the same venue five weeks ago, the start of the match was delayed by half-an-hour due to the late arrival of fans.

READ | R172 000 payout: 'I now hate football'

Instead of a 15:00 start, the match then got underway at 15:30.

While this benefitted latecomers, it creates challenges for the teams as explained by Sundowns assistant coach Steve Komphela. 

"The ambience and atmosphere were made perfect by supporters only if they can come early because it has a whole lot of other dynamics in it," points out Komphela, who was standing in for Manqoba Mngqithi at the fixture's pre-match press conference.

"When they delay the start of the match, it affects your matchday routine because you would say in preparation for a match, what time is your pre-match meal and pre-match talk?

"The minute the match gets delayed a bit, then it would have affected your pre-match meeting, departure from the hotel and pre-match meal, so it does affect us big time.

"And the psychology of sport, after warm-up you get back to the dressing room, getting ready for the four, five, six minutes until the whistle is blown for teams to come to the tunnel.

"Then they get to be informed that the match is likely to be delayed for 30 minutes.

"It deflates.

READ | Shalulile to 'pop champagne' at Downs

"So, if they could just come early.

"That is the only request.

"I know it is not my responsibility, but from the fact that it does affect the readiness and preparedness of the players to get on the park and give a good display, it does affect us," says Komphela.

Related tags

Comments