Andrew Muchineripi Soccer
No Premier Soccer League coach is under more pressure to deliver or die than Victor Bondarenko, the former Soviet Union international who occupies the extremely hot seat at Orlando Pirates.
Buccaneers boss Irvin Khoza, who kept Bonders in suspense for several weeks before giving him the green light to continue, expects at least two trophies come the end of the 1999/2000 season next May.
The coach could achieve half his target by Saturday evening and make the club R500 000 richer if they can overcome the formidable Tunisian club Esperance in the Vodacom Challenge final at Kings Park.
Esperance defeated Kaizer Chiefs 1-0 after extra time in the first semi-final last weekend through an opportunist goal from Bechir Sahbani, one of only four first-team regulars in the Blood and Gold starting line-up.
It was an amazing achievement, even for a team as formidable as Esperance, because they won the Tunisian Cup and travelled to Johannesburg via Zurich during the 48 hours preceding the match.
While this contest was a tactical battle of a standard rarely witnessed domestically, and could have swung either way, Pirates eventually overcame reigning African champions ASEC of Cte d’Ivoire with unexpected ease.
The Ivorian teenagers looked dazzling – until they ran out of ideas at the edge of the penalty area and Pirates gave them a lesson in finishing with a goal in each half from Andries Sebola and Phumlani Mkhize.
While Chiefs looked lost in attack without Turkey-bound Pollen Ndlanya and injured Siyabonga Nomvete, Pirates comfortably overcame the handicap of unavailable striker Sibusiso Zuma.
He is expected to face Esperance, while Chiefs coach Paul Dolezar has recalled on- loan Dennis Vukubi from Vaal Professionals, who were relegated from the Castle Premiership after the 1998/1999 season.
It may be the alleged closed season in South Africa – there has not been a weekend without football – but the 52 000 capacity of the Durban venue should be taxed for a potentially great double-header.
Chiefs tackle African Champions League holders ASEC at noon for third place and a R150 000 cheque and, with both teams favouring a short-passing game, this could be one for the purists.
Chiefs often appeared shocked by the lack of space Esperance afforded them and, while ASEC may be slightly more generous in that area, the Ivorians could be lethal if they finish moves as well as they start them.
Esperance triumphed at Odi Stadium despite using only four of the players who won the 1998 African Cup Winners Cup with a 4-2 aggregate victory over Primeiro Agosto from Angola.
One reserve who left an indelible impression was goalkeeper, or should I say keepersweeper, Moez Ben Thabet, who gave a lesson in defending that local custodians would do well to imitate.
He sprinted far beyond his penalty area twice to avert danger, and the strength of Esperance can be gauged from the fact that the No 1 goalkeeper is Chokri al-Ouaer, who played against Bafana Bafana in the 1996 African Nations Cup final.
The Tunisians also closed space down quickly. One could detect shock on the faces of many Chiefs players used to having a lot more time and a lot more space in most Premiership matches.
As I drove back to Pretoria on Saturday evening, I recalled the many times this humble member of the Muchineripi clan has advocated a smaller, stronger Premiership that would produce strength-versus-strength clashes.
Esperance retained the national championship last month after an eight- club, 14-match championship. Size does count and the exclusiveness of the league probably explains why Tunisia are so successful at club level.
Club Sportif Sfaxien succeeded Esperance as CAF Cup holders last year and Esperance lifted the Cup Winners Cup 12 months after Etoile du Sahel brought the cup to the small North African country.
Coach Youssef Zouaoui is expected to recall his rested stars like defender Khaled Badra, whose tackles make those of Gavin Lane seem soft by comparison, to confront the Buccaneers.
Esperance also succeeded in Mabopane, despite playing at unaccustomed altitude, and Durban will present much more familiar conditions as the team from the coastal city of Tunis chase another trophy.
The Blood and Gold are the only club to complete a clean sweep of African Football Confederation trophies, winning the 1994 Champions Cup (now League), the 1995 Super Cup, the 1997 CAF Cup and the Cup Winners Cup. Don’t claim you have not been warned, Pirates.
ENDS