Vodacom Challenge

drunken_master · Posted: Mon Jul 17, 2006 3:30 am Post subject: Vodacom Challenge

After a brisk start to the Vodacom Challenge, Orlando Pirates suffered the worst possible start when Ole Gunnar Solskjaer opened the scoring for Manchester United after just four minutes.

Paul Scholes, making a big impression after long concern over injury, picked out Guiseppe Rossi with an accurate long pass. He beat his man and passed to Ryan Giggs who cleverly flicked the ball through to Solskjaer and he scored with a first time shot from inside the area.

Pirates continued to run at their opponents, but slowly ran out of ideas in the final third of the field – just as they did at the same venue in the Absa Cup final against Kaizer Chiefs in May.

A minute before the break, debutant Lehlohonolo Seema fails to clear the ball in the area and is robbed of possession by Solskjaer and the Norwegian grabs his second goal.

Both teams make substitutions at the break. United bring on Fanghzuo Dong for Solskjaer and David Jones for Ryan Giggs while Pirates replace Joseph Makhanya with Lebo Mokoena, Jabu Mahlangu with Gift Leremi and Isaac Chansa with Solly Mathe.

The changes do little to influence Bucs’ fortunes as they continue to struggle with the final pass. In fact Tyren Arendse is left to scrap up front alone as his strike partner Blaise Lelo-Mbele drifts to the wings to run at defenders.

Lelo-Mbele does create some openings for Pirates, but the ball is never played into any dangerous areas and Arendse is easily marked by Wes Brown, leaving Pirates with nowhere to go.

In the 59th minute tricky and impressive striker Guiseppe Rossi turns well, opens up space and passes to Jones, but he slips and the ball falls free only for Kieron Richardson to react first and curl into the top corner a superb strike with his weaker right foot.

Two minutes later, Dong crosses into the area and Pirates panic resulting in Seema blasting the ball off Francis Chansa and into his own net.

As the game wore on United got more and more composed and Pirates, sadly, got worse and worse.

Spoiler:

drunken_master · Posted: Fri Jul 21, 2006 6:57 am Post subject:

Chiefs in Vodacom Challenge final

The 'Glamour Boys' won the match on the back of a 1-0 loss to Manchester United on Tuesday evening.

Chiefs gave a clear indication of their intention to win this match as early as the fifth minute, when deadly striker Shaun Bartlett pounced on a David Hadebe cross to head home his first goal for the Naturena-based outfit.

Pirates did not create chances on the evening, a factor which definitely does not stand them in good stead for their African Champions League campaign, and a possible appearance in the forthcoming Telkom Charity Cup.

Chiefs’ striker Gert Schalkwyk, who has in recent times earned himself the title of 'Super Sub', lived up to his rising reputation when he netted his side's second with a brilliantly-taken header in the 76th minute.

Bucs experienced a minor revival with the introduction of Jabu Mahlangu (for Isaac Chansa), Lebohang Mokoena (for Tyren Arendse) and Joseph Makhanya (for Gift Leremi).

The 'Buccaneers' did not look like the same side that dazzled supporters and foes alike during the 2006/07 PSL Castle Premiership as they lacked self-esteem; a fact which is reflected in the fact that they only managed one shot on target throughout the 90 minutes played.

Chiefs will face Manchester United in the 'Battle Finale' at the Loftus Stadium, Pretoria on Saturday, 22 July.

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