Premier Soccer League (PSL) glamour club Kaizer Chiefs and the mighty Orlando Pirates will be out to book their places in the 2004 Vodacom Challenge final when they face up to the respective Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) club onslaught of TP Mazembe and ASV Club semifinal action at the Mmabatho stadium near Mafikeng on Sunday.
Chiefs, sporting new signings in the form of midfielders Emmanuel ”Scara” Ngobese, Gert van Schalkwyk, David Mathebula, Paballo Mngomezulu, Siphiwe Mbambo and defender Siphiwe Mkhonza, will look to turn TP Mazembe goalkeeper Kidiaba Muteba into the busiest man on the field when the two sides meet in the opening Vodacom Challenge match of the day at 12.30pm.
The winners of the Vodacom Challenge for the past three years, Chiefs will be hoping to receive a major boost to their strike force shortly before match day, should their lethal Zambian striker, Collins Mbesuma, return from his country in time for the action.
Pirates, the winners of the inaugural Vodacom Challenge title in 1998, face up to Vodacom Challenge newcomers ASV Club in the second semifinal at the Mmabatho stadium on Sunday (kick-off at 3.30pm).
Pirates will be hoping to receive a major boost through the performance of their latest signing, striker Daniel ”Oompie” Mabitsela, who hails from the Vaal, while goalkeeper Sandile Hlahane has been promoted from the club’s development ranks.
Pirates will be without their new signings from Nigeria who are currently in that country with their previous team, Enyimba, in the CAF Champions League in Côte d’Ivoire, but both players are expected to represent Pirates in the second leg of the Vodacom Challenge at Soccer City on Saturday July 17.
The Bhakaniyas’ rearguard will be weary of keeping a tight reign on the visitors’ goal-scoring machine, Lutula Eale, who is expected to be well supported by Dieudo Kalulika.
The winner’s cheque of R1-million is set to be a source of extra motivation to the four sides in their bid for 2004 Vodacom Challenge glory. The runners-up will take home R500Â 000 and the third- and fourth-placed teams will collect R300Â 000 and R200Â 000 respectively, making the Vodacom Challenge into an extremely lucrative competition on the African football scene. — Sapa