Posted in News on Feb 12, 2008.
As the schedule for the 10th edition of the annual pre–season show piece event, which began back in 1999 was made public, five days after taking on United in the tournament opener. Chiefs will meet their Soweto rivals Orlando Pirates in a play-off match to be contested on the 24th July in a yet to be confirmed venue in the Eastern Cape. The winner of that game will earn the right to face United in the final just two days later on the 26th June in Gauteng; the July 19th clash will be the fourth meeting between Chiefs and their famous counterparts from the Premier League.
The Amakhosi and the red devils first squared off in a show piece friendly match, which ended in a 1-1 draw way back in 1993. It would be thirteen years till the next meeting between the two teams and in July 2006 they met in a Vodacom Challenge game at the Newlands Stadium in Cape Town which United won by a single goal.
They then met in the final of the 2006 Vodacom Challenge after Chiefs easily disposed of Orlando Pirates in the play-off game. The Amakhosi famously defeated Manchester United on penalties in the 2006 Vodacom Challenge final after the game had ended goalless, thus recording their first ever win over English opposition.
Chiefs Chairman tribute
Kaizer Chiefs chairman Kaizer Motaung paid tribute to the Manchester United staff and players, who 50 years ago last week lost their lives in a plane crash in Munich, Germany on the 6th February 1958 as they were returning home from a European Championship match in Belgrade in what is today known as Serbia. In paying tribute to Manchester United who literally rose from the ashes of what is famously referred to as the ‘Munich Air Disaster’, to becoming one of the most well supported teams in the world.
“We all join Manchester United in thought and emotion to commemorate the Munich Air disaster; through these 50 years ago they hoisted their flag and rose from it to be what they are today. I welcome Manchester United one of the most successful clubs in the world to the Vodacom Challenge, we thank Sir Alex Ferguson and Manchester United for honouring this invitation and bringing their team to help prepare Chiefs and Pirates for the 2008 – 2009 season,” the Chiefs chairman said.
Happy to be back
Manchester United, who will be making their third visit to South Africa since the country returned to international football fold in 1992, were represented by their manager Sir Alex Ferguson at the launch. The 65 year Scotsman was looking forward to taking on the Amakhosi said: “Two years ago when we were here I told Dr. Khoza that we would be back, with the World Cup coming to South Africa, Manchester United are happy to some how help in the global preparation of that event”.
Formidable Strength
During Manchester United’s last visit to the country they brought a fairly young team on tour as most of their more experienced squad members were given time off after the 2006 Fifa World Cup. This time around Sir Alex will be able to bring along a near full-strength team, although he was not expecting to do so as he explained “When we began preparing for this tour we did not know that England, Scotland, Ireland and Northern Ireland would not qualify for Euro 2008. Although we will be minus five players, we will have our England internationals coming with us on the tour, which means that we will have a formidably strong team in the Vodacom Challenge”.
2008 Vodacom Challenge Match Schedule
Match 1: Kaizer Chiefs Vs Manchester United 19th July, Newlands Rugby staduim
Match 2: Orlando Pirates Vs Manchester United 22 July, Durban ABSA staduim
Match 3: Kaizer Chiefs Vs Orlando Pirates 24 July, Port Elizabeth EPRU staduim
Match 4: Manchester United Vs Winner of match 3 26 July, Tswane Vodacon Loftus
*Kick off times and venues to be confirmed
