Chiefs, Pirates wow global fans
Brad Morgan
26 November 2007With the eyes of the soccer world on South Africa for the 2010 World Cup draw in Durban on Sunday, the country's biggest derby, the clash between archrivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, was broadcast throughout Europe for the first time on Saturday. It produced an exciting 2-2 draw.
For the thousands of Fifa dignitaries and journalists in attendance, the contest created a favourable impression.
Among those in the stands were legends of the game such as Michel Platini and Franz Beckenbauer, and Confederation of African Football president Issa Hayatou.
No segregation for fans
One of the most startling aspects of the contests, for many of the visitors, was what they witnessed before the match; rival fans mingled happily and, once inside the stadium, there was no segregation of supporters as is usually the case in other countries.
Although Chiefs and Pirates' supporters are fanatical in their support of their teams, violent support is something that is seldom witnessed.
Something else that the television audience and visitors in Durban would have seen and heard throughout the day was the "vuvuzela", a plastic, metre-long, brightly-coloured instrument that trumpets a noise that is a common feature at South African football games.
No doubt, after the 2010 World Cup, it will be familiar and well-known to fans of the beautiful game everywhere.
Given the stage of the World Cup draw and the massive television audience that featured 43 European countries and an Africa-wide broadcast, excitement around the Soweto derby had been building up throughout the week.
Explosive start
Some had feared that it might not live up to the hype, but they needn't have worried as the clash got off to an explosive start.
It took just 19 seconds for the first goal to be scored, a stunning strike by Chiefs' Mabhudi Khenyeza.
Receiving a throw-in from Shaun Bartlett, he controlled the ball while holding off the attentions of a Pirates' defender. Then, after executing a quick turn, he blasted a superb volley into the net to stun the supporters of the Buccaneers, while giving the Amakhosi fans plenty to cheer about.
Encouraged by their fantastic start, Chiefs settled down nicely, keeping possession and looking comfortable on the ball. Pirates, understandably, were less composed, but they slowly started to work their way back into the contest.
They began to dictate the pace of the contest, although Khenyeza - born in KwaZulu-Natal and formerly of Durban's Lamontville Golden Arrow - seemed intent on tearing apart the Pirates' defence all by himself every time he touched the ball.
Teko Modise, the two-goal hero of Bafana Bafana's 2-0 win over Canada at the same ground on Tuesday, tried to make his mark in the midfield, but he was well marshalled by Thabo Mooki, who ensured the young gun didn't have matters all his own way.
Equaliser
After 33 minutes, the Buccaneers' efforts to get back into the game were rewarded when Excellent Walaza beat Chiefs' goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune with a header after a pin-point cross from Bennett Chenene. His goal pulled the teams level as Pirates' fans enjoyed their opportunity to celebrate.
Pirates - owned by Irvin Khoza, the chairman of the SA Local Organising Committee for the 2010 World Cup - were in the ascendancy, but were unable to make their advantage count before halftime as the teams turned with the score at 1-1.
Former Charlton Athletic marksman Shaun Bartlett had a great chance to put Chiefs in front early in the second half after David Obua had created an opening with a nice pass. Bartlett, though, hit his shot just right of Senzo Meyiwa's right-hand upright.
Tit-for-tat
Not long after that, Pirates took the lead when Walaza picked up a
loose ball in the penalty area after a shot by Paulus Masehe was parried into his path. It was his second goal of the game and his sixth of the season, which lifted him into a tie as the top goal scorer so far in the PSL season.
Chiefs didn't trail for long, however, as Arthur Zwane benefited from some wild defending to make the score 2-2.
It came after Lucky Lekgwathi failed to live up to his name; his attempted clearance after a long throw-in into the Pirates' penalty area flew off his teammate Lehlohonolo Seema before dropping kindly for Zwane to head in his first goal in almost two years.
Encouraged by their equaliser, Chiefs pushed hard to take the lead, but couldn't beat Meyiwa in the Pirates' goal, although it required some smart work by the net-minder to keep the Amakhosi at bay.
His good work was nearly undone when Bongani Cashibe almost netted an own goal as time ran down, which would have given Chiefs the Soweto bragging rights. The ball, though, passed wide of the goal and the showdown finished with honours even at 2-2.
Afterwards Pirates' coach Owen Da Gama, in charge for the first time in a derby, declared himself proud of his team and predicted a bright future for his young side, while Chiefs' coach Muhsin Ertugral felt his side could have won the game in the final 20 minutes when the Amakhosi did most of the attacking.
Good spectacle
The Soweto derby provided a good spectacle, both on the field and off the field, with the colourful fans of both clubs enjoying their day on the world stage. It was a colourful, high-spirited, and keenly contested but friendly occasion.
It also gave the international television audience an idea of what to expect at the 2010 World Cup.
What it showed, maybe more than anything else, is that South Africans love their football and that fans travelling to the country in 2010 can expect to be part of a tournament that will be embraced and celebrated by everyone in South Africa with smiles, joy and laughter.
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