Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral will look to his players to play with speed, in order to pressurize the Manchester United defense, when the European and Barclays English Premiership champions from Old Trafford, take on the Mighty Amakhosi in the Vodacom Challenge in SA in July.

The coaches of both inaugural champions Orlando Pirates and four-time title winners Kaizer Chiefs, who will join Manchester United in vying for the coveted Vodacom Challenge title, will have learnt much from watching Manchester United lift the European Champions League crown, in an epic showdown that ended by way of a penalty shoot out, in Moscow on May 21.

“Manchester United play a 4-3-3 attacking system which converts to a 4-5-1 defensive formation, but being a pre-season tour, I am expecting their manager Sir Alex Ferguson to experiment with a few other permutations as he bloods new players during the Vodacom Challenge,” said Kaizer Chiefs coach Muhsin Ertugral.

“There isn’t a single Manchester United player that can be targeted for marking as they are all world class and capable of scoring goals which will require a highly focused defensive display from our team, but I am hoping to field a powerful Kaizer Chiefs line up that will prove to the fans that the Mighty Amakhosi will be a force to be reckoned with in the race for the Absa Premiership title and cup trophies in the new PSL season.”

The last time the sides played each other, Kaizer Chiefs clinched the Vodacom Challenge trophy after beating the Red Devils, as Manchester United are known, in a penalty shoot out, at the Loftus stadium in Tshwane two years ago.

Tickets for the Vodacom Challenge soccer extravaganza are on sale at Computicket, Checkers, Checkers-Hyper and Shoprite outlets throughout the country.

The Vodacom Challenge schedule will kick-off with Kaizer Chiefs taking on Manchester United at the Newlands stadium in the Western Cape on Saturday, 19 July. Tickets for this match will be on sale at just R250 (west stand), R120 (north and south stands), R120 (east stand lower level) and R60 (east stand upper level).

The action will then move to the Absa stadium in KwaZulu-Natal on Tuesday, 22 July for the showdown between Orlando Pirates and the English visiting club, with tickets on sale at R250 (west and east stand lower level), R120 (north and south stands) and R60 (west and east stand upper level).

On Thursday, 24 July, the EPRU stadium in the Eastern Cape will once again be the scene of the ‘Soweto Derby’ between Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs to decide which team will qualify to play Manchester United in the final of this year’s tournament. Last year’s Vodacom Challenge match was watched by more television viewers than any previous derby, a record for any SA soccer match. All stand tickets to the Derby in Port Elizabeth will go on sale at only R45 each.

The showpiece final is expected to be played in front of a sell-out crowd at the Loftus stadium in Gauteng, the Home of Champions on Saturday, 26 July. Tickets for the grand finale in Tshwane will be on sale at R250 (west stand), R120 (north and south stands), R120 (east lower level stand) and R60 (east stand upper level).

“The ticket prices have been structured to allow all South African supporters to enjoy the Vodacom Challenge Soccer Experience,” said Brand De Villiers, CEO SAIL Group. Building on the successes of previous years we will once again adopt a reserve seating policy. Spectators are encouraged to get their tickets early to secure the best seat in the house. If supporters wish to sit together they are encouraged to purchase their tickets together.

No tickets will be sold at the stadiums on match day.

For all group bookings (9 tickets or more) supporters are urged to contact Computicket Corporate Bookings on (011) 340 8128. Corporate hospitality packages are available from Circa Hospitality on 086 112 4722.

SUMMARY

19 July 2008; Kaizer Chiefs vs Manchester United; 15:30; Newlands Stadium

West Stand - R250


North and South Stand - R120


East Stand Lower = R120


East Stand Upper - R60

22 July 2008; Orlando Pirates vs Manchester United; 20:10; Absa Stadium


West and East Stand Lower - R250


North and South Stand - R120


West and East Stand Upper - R60

24 July 2008; Orlando Pirates vs Kaizer Chiefs; 20:10; EPRU Stadium


All Stand Tickets - R45

26 July 2008; Winner of Derby vs Manchester United; 15:30; Loftus Verfeld


West Stand - R250


North and South Stand - R120


East Stand Lower - R120


East Stand Upper - R60