OWN CORRESPONDENT, Durban | Sunday 10.00am.
ORLANDO Pirates won the inaugural Vodacom African Challenge by beating Tunisian champions Esperance 4-1 at Kings Park Stadium in Durban on Saturday.
The Buccaneers walked off with the elaborate, pointed trophy and the R500000 first prize, while countrymen Kaizer Chiefs beat Asec Mimosa 2-1 to clinch third place.
Playing with fire, Pirates overpowered their northerly neighbours, pressuring them into unforced errors. But the drama-filled first half saw an own goal by both sides within a minute of each other.
First Buc’s defender Guy Roger-Nzeng headed in a goal as he tried to clear Makaya Nsilulu’s shot. Then Esperance’s Rahdi Zaidi booted the ball in, past keeper Moez Ben Thabet as he tried to clear a Steve Lekoelea cross.
Six minutes later Dennis Lota scored, and a minute later so did Lekoelea.
In the 90th minute Brandon Silent scored the fourth goal. Pirates became the first South African club to conquer Africa by winning the 1995 Champions Cup final against ASEC, and continued their mastery of the Abidjan outfit with a 2-0 Challenge triumph last Sunday.
Earlier, Chiefs coach Paul Dolezar had a fitting send off when his team triumphed over the African Champions League holders Asec. Thabang Lebese and Jabu Pule saw off Dolezar’s two year tenure with goals two minutes apart in the 62nd and 64th minute.
The Cote d’Ivoire team opened the scoring in the 29th minute through Venace Zeze. Esperance walked off with R250000. Chiefs took home R150000 and Asec R100000.