It is part of a series of friendly fixtures masquerading as a make-believe competition.
But if there is a touch of the Mad Hatter’s illogic attached to the format of the Vodacom Challenge, it will not prevent what should be another near-capacity crowd from cramming into the Eastern Province Rugby Stadium on Thursday night for yet another Kaizer Chiefs-Orlando Pirates derby.
Both teams have already lost to Tottenham Hotspur, the third team participating in the incongruous event, which suggests that by all standard soccer lore and rationale the renowned North London Premiership club should already be proclaimed holders of the Vodacom Challenge title.
But when marketing and making money take preference over the competitive edge, traditional customs and rules are conveniently swept overboard — and, lo and behold, we have Chiefs and Pirates playing off for a place in what is deemed as the final against Spurs at Loftus on Saturday.
And if this is a trifle stranger than fiction, it’s not the end of the facade. Had Spurs lost to both Chiefs and Pirates in their opening two games, they would still be automatic contestants in the final, with the Amakhosi and the Buccaneers having to play off for the other place at Loftus.
Now, having lost to Tottenham, however, it is totally understandable that both Chiefs and Pirates will be seeking a second bite at the cherry and a morale-boosting victory against the Premiership’s fifth-placed team.
And, of course, Chiefs and Pirates could, in truth, make their way round the country and play each other on every second day of the year and still grip the attention of awed, if somewhat gullible, supporters.
The two coaches, Muhsin Ertugral (Chiefs) and Bibey Mutombo (Pirates) concede that the intrinsic objective of the tournament is to map out a successful route for the future and banish memories of what was a season to forget for both teams in 2006/7.
As to who will qualify for Saturday’s final, the initial games against Spurs provide little enlightenment, with neither Chiefs nor Pirates demonstrating they have made much progress since last season.
And, in any case, in the Alice-in-Wonderland scenario, almost anything is possible — as was demonstrated last year when Chiefs beat Manchester United in the final via a penalty shoot-out after the current English Premiership champions had earlier beaten both Chiefs and Pirates. — Sapa