Vodacom Challenge

ABSA Stadium

Durban, Kwa- Zulu Natal

Saturday 21st July 2007

15h15

Playing Conditions: Partly cloudy to cloudy late afternoon showers temperature at kick off 23°C

Two defense lapses in each half cost The Amakhosi the game as they narrowly lost to English Premier League team Tottenham Hotspurs in a Vodacom Challenge game at the ABSA Stadium in Durban on Saturday afternoon.

Spurs took the lead in the game when Republic of Ireland international Robbie Keane managed to beat the Chiefs offside trap, which had caught him out on a number of occasions prior to him finally finding a way through and knocking his team in the 39th minute.

Chiefs staged a second half come and were back in the inside the first four minutes of the second half, when Shaun Bartlett turned a cross from Omnismor Bhasera past Paul Robinson to level matters. Chiefs defense was again caught out when Spurs substitute Darren Bent was able to pick up a searching ball from deep inside his teams half, he beat Cyril Nzama before laying off the ball to Dimitar Berbatov who scored the winner for the visitors a minute before the hour mark.

Kwa – Zulu Natal applauds Khanyeza

Muhsin Ertugral used Saturday afternoon’s game to parade new Chiefs signing Mabhuti Khanyeza who in his home province had the support of the large crowd at the ABSA Stadium. Much is expected of the former South Africa U-23 player the initial signs are promising as Khanyeza did not stop running through out the game, and tussled with the Spurs defense all game long.

Khanyeza demonstrated his abilities to fight off defenders and attack from deep, when on 14 minutes he was able to dispossess Jermaine Jenas on the halfway line. The Chiefs striker was able to glide past Anthony Gardner before launch a shot at Paul Robinson’s goal, which went inches wide of the England internationals goal.

Keane strikes again

When Chiefs and Spurs met in a friendly match four years ago it was Roy Keane who with a lucky break was able to give Spurs the lead on that occasion, once more the Irish man rode his luck as he was able to out gun the Chiefs defense and put Spurs in front on 39 minutes.

When he latched onto a long ball from Dimitar Berbatov which seemed to catch the Chiefs defense flat footed, while The Amakhosi waited for the assistant referee to flag for off side the call did not come. Keane was able to bring the ball down and knocked it past the out running Emile Baron and into the back of the net to give Spurs the lead.

Bhasera and Bartlett to the fore

Onismor Bhasera in his second game for the Amakhosi against Spurs put on the same kind of hard working display that he did on Sunday against Black Leopards, he once again demonstrated that he could be the answer to Chiefs problems on the left.

Bhasera was at the heart of Chiefs 49th minute equalizer when he out paced Ricardo Rocha on the left to catch up to a delightful chip pass from Scara Ngobese, before turning in a pass goal wards from the by line which Shaun Bartlett met and headed beyond Robinson to level matters.

Bhasera playing with the confidence of a seasoned professional was up and down the park helping out Chiefs in defense and attack, and for his defense acumen he had tact in attack. The Zimbabwean international was unlucky not to have found his name on the score sheet in the 54th minute, as he raced up the field he found himself with acres of space and from some distance sent a vicious left footed shot towards Robinson’s goal. The Spurs keeper for a moment lost sight of the ball before back tracking and meeting the ball with a one handed push to safety.

Berbatov winner

As Chiefs pushed up field in the hope of finding a second they were caught out at the back when on 59 minutes, Phil Ifil pushed the ball way up the field along the ground to Substitute Darren Bent. Bent who recently joined Spurs from Charlton Athletic picked up the ball and beat Cyril Nzama before cutting across and laying off the ball to Dimitar Berbatov. The Bulgarian international who was unmarked in the Chiefs 18 yard area was able to easily side foot the ball home to give Spurs the advantage.

Inside the final five minutes of the game Bent could have added his name to the score sheet, when another Spurs substitute Adeel Tarbaat sent him through on goal down the right. Emile Baron thought instinctively and ran out to narrow Bents angle and rushed the Spurs striker into his shot, which Baron was able to block with his body.

Chiefs onto PE

Muhsin Ertugral can be happy with the performance of his team and the introduction midfielders Siphiwe Tshabalala and Thuso Phala in the latter stages of the second half helped Chiefs win control of the midfield, which allowed for The Amakhosi to control play in the final quarter of the game. Tshabalala in particular breathed life into the Chiefs attack and as he finds full fitness it looks more and more likely that he will play a key role for Chiefs in the upcoming season.

The Amakhosi will have a day off on Sunday before heading off to Port Elizabeth for the next leg of their Vodacom Challenge matches, which see them face arch rivals Orlando Pirates on Thursday. The winner of that game will have the chance to face Spurs for a second time next Saturday in Pretoria, Muhsin Ertugral will be hoping for such the same from his team on Thursday which will allow them the chance to once again face Spurs.

Starting Eleven:

Kaizer Chiefs (4-4-2): 30. Emile Baron, 2. Jimmy. Tau, 3. Onismor Bhasera, 21. Patrick Mayo, 4. Cyril Nzama, 28. Derrick Spencer, 12. Thabo Mooki, 11. Emmanuel Ngobese,

18. Arthur Zwane, 17. Shaun Bartlett, 5. Mabhuti Khanyeza

Coach: Muhsin Ertugral


Assistant Coach: Fani Madida

Substitutions:


In: 8. Tinashe Nengomasha, Out: 28. Derrick Spencer 61 min


In: 14. Siphiwe Tshabalala, Out: 11. Emmanuel Ngobese 72 min


In: 26. Thuso Phala, Out: 18. Arthur Zwane: 72 min


In: 9. Serge Djiehoua, Out: 17. Shaun Bartlett 76 min

Cautions: Yellow Card, 18. Arthur Zwane 2 min

Starting Eleven:

Tottenham Hotspurs (4-4-2): 1. Paul Robinson, 4. Didier Zokora, 5. Younes Kaboul, 8. Jermain Jenas, 14. Phil Ifil, 15. 9. Dimitar Berbatov, 15. Steed Malbarenque,

20. Michael Dawson, 21. Wayne Routledge, 25. Ricardo Rocha, 10. Robbie Keane

Manager: Martin Jol


Assistant Coach: Chris Hughton

Substitutions:


In: 24. Anthony Gardner, Out: 5. Younes Kaboul 4 min


In: 23. Darren Bent, Out: 21. Wayne Routledge 56 min


In: 16. Charlie Daniels, Out: 14. Phil Ifil 77 min


In: 19. Adeel Tarbaat, Out: 9. Dimitar Berbatov 82 min

Cautions: Yellow Card, 10. Robbie Keane 32 min

Match Officials:


Referee: Wilson Mpansi (Zambia)


Assistant 1: Toko Malebo


Assistant 2: Yugesh Anjit


4th Official: Ace Ncobo