Three-time Vodacom Challenge title winners, Kaizer Chiefs, will look to the experience of super striker Shaun Bartlett and the skills of gifted midfield star Siyabonga Nkosi to play an important role in the Amakhosi’s full team effort against English Premiership giants Manchester United at the Newlands Stadium, in Cape Town on Tuesday, 18 July 2006 (20h15 kickoff).

Bartlett, who recently joined Kaizer Chiefs has experienced the goal-scoring feeling having found the back of the Manchester United net during his lengthily stay with English Premiership side, Charlton Athletic. Nkosi, who made the move from Bloemfontein Celtic, is expected to give the Manchester United defenders much work to do.

“While the signing of Bartlett and Nkosi should play a major role in increasing our attacking options for the new season, I have full respect for Manchester United’s abilities on the field. Our players will use this opportunity to showcase their skills and the quality of our side against top opposition,” said Kaizer Chiefs coach Ernst Middendorp.

Kaizer Chiefs defense are marshaled by Jimmy Tau, Cyril Nzama and Fabian McCarthy. The midfield talent in David Obua, David Mathebula, Thabo Mooki, Emmanuel Ngobese, Gert Schalkwyk and Siyabonga Nkosi in the squad, along with Bartlett and his fellow strikers will fancy their chances of breaching the Red Devils defense. A win over Manchester United will see Kaizer Chiefs going one step better than the 1-1 draw score-line achieved when the sides last met in Johannesburg in 1993.

Manchester United team manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, and team captain, Welsh international Ryan Giggs were part of the contingent that visited SA thirteen years ago, and will have briefed the touring squad, of the improvement in the standard of South African soccer, and the passionate supporter base of Kaizer Chiefs on to success at Newlands Stadium on Tuesday.

In addition to Giggs, Manchester United are expected to field experienced players in defenders Wes Brown, John O’Shea and Kieran Richardson, midfielder Paul Scholes and striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who will look to guide young talent such as fullback Phil Bardsley and midfielder David Jones through a tough 90 minutes of soccer action in the Mother City.

Solskjaer’s two goals during his side’s 4-0 victory over Orlando Pirates at the Absa Stadium in Durban on Saturday, was good news for Ferguson, following the Norwegian’s long-term injury-enforced layoff. Cape Town soccer fans can expect the experienced striker to be on the lookout for more goal-scoring opportunities against Kaizer Chiefs.

“Solskjaer’s performance was the sign of a determined player who did the hard work to recover from a knee injury that kept him out of the side for quite a while, and it is this sort of determination that is passed on to the youngsters in the side who will learn a lot from this tour of South Africa,” said Ferguson after his side’s triumph in the first match of the 2006 Vodacom Challenge.

Soccer fans are expected to be in a Vodacom Challenge party mood for the big match with entertainment from music stars of the calibre of kwaito sensation Brickz, fellow kwaito artist Thebe, and DJs Oskido and local sensation Slender.

The Durban crowd can be commended for their efforts in abiding to the reserved seating system on Saturday and have successfully laid down the challenge to the rest of the country to follow suit.

Tickets for the matches will not be on sale at the stadium on match day, but are still available at Computicket and select Shoprite Checkers outlets nationwide.