JOHANNESBURG Thousands of Zimbabwean football fans are expected to throng Peter Makoba Stadium in Polokwane in order to watch their own son Benjani Mwariwaru when Manchester City Football Club takes on Orlando Pirates in two weeks' time, sponsors of the Vodacom Challenge confirmed.Vodacom Challenge Tournament features three clubs: Kaizer Chiefs, Orlando Pirates and Manchester City. The Pirates / Manchester City match, pencilled in for July 18, will mark the 10th Anniversary of the Vodacom Challenge Tournament.
Chief Executive Officer for Limpopo Tourism and Parks, Benny Boshielo, said he was thrilled that the much awaited tournament was being hosted in the northern province of South Africa where the country shares borders with Zimbabwe, Botswana and Mozambique respectively.
The Limpopo Province is home to over 5 million people and geographically touches on the borders of neighbouring countries such as Botswana, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. I am sure that our decision to host the opening leg of the Vodacom Challenge in Polokwane will enhance our provinces status as a tourist friendly area that is serious about bringing world class sport to the community, said Boshielo.
The tournament promoter urged soccer enthusiasts to purchase their match tickets early to ensure that they were among the 18 000 supporters expected to watch the opening match.
Manchester Citys previous trip to South Africa was on a pre-season tour in 1993, in which they beat Santos 1-0 in Cape Town and played to a 1-all draw with Manning Rangers in Chatsworth, near Durban.
While Manchester City are expected to bring a powerful squad to South Africa which includes the likes of Mwariwaru, Brazilian striker Robinho, Welsh international goal-getter Craig Bellamy and newly-signed England international midfielder Gareth Barry, Orlando Pirates supporters are expected to rally behind their team.
Following the Polokwane match, the English club will travel to Durban to take on Kaizer Chiefs at the Absa Stadium on July 21. The Buccaneers and the Amakhosi will clash in the Soweto Derby showdown at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in Port Elizabeth on July 23.
The coveted Vodacom Challenge title will be on the line when the winners of the Soweto Derby take on Manchester City in the showpiece final at Loftus Versfeld in Tshwane on July 25
Post published in: Football