YOH YOH YOH What a (Vodacom) Challenge
Tottenham Hotspurs arrived just under 2 weeks ago and it’s been a flurry of events since. After 9 days later and 4 exciting matches the Vodacom challenge has come to an end.
The arrival of Tottenham had many local soccer fans licking their lips. The idea of their favourite team taking on the mighty champions league quarter finalists was a sweet one to savour and so it was with little surprise that tickets were being sold in large quantities despite prices being over 10 times the normal cost of a PSL fixture.
These fans were not left disappointed as both local sides gave Tottenham a torrid time. In the first match Kaiser Chiefs outwitted and outplayed the London club and were duly rewarded with a stunning goal from George Lebese after some near misses by Amakhosi new boy Lehlohonolo Majoro.
The second game of spurs tour saw them face the buccaneers Orlando Pirates and although the score line was a tad more favourable for the visitors, a 1 all draw, it was still Pirates who grabbed much of the headlines as their strength to reply with a goal after Rafael Van De Vaarts wonder free kick and their flashy skills in the last quarter of the field won them much admirers and a sentiment of hoping for their victory.
2 days later it was derby time and as always it got the heart pumping. There was a lot of debate pre-match about whether this was just a marketing induced overkill of the best derby on the continent or whether it was another spectacular moment for South Africa to showcase its talent. No matter which side you chose it was clear that it was going to be electrifying. Although there was only one goal in it, Pirates Tlou Segolelo from a tight angle, it was still a great game and must have given the watching visitors nightmares. Pirates progressed to Johannesburg to meet Tottenham in Saturdays final
On the day of the final it was a completely different story with spurs having a serious case of déjà vu . The English club were 3-0 winners in the last Vodacom challenge final they participated in, back in 2007, but no one gave them a chance of repeating the act. Unfortunately that’s exactly what they did. Pirates started the brighter of the two teams and had a chance or two in the early exchanges to make spurs miserable but they were left regretting wasted opportunities when Rafael Van De Vaart hit a spectacular free kick into the back of the net. From there pirates staggered to keep alive until half time but as the second half started their nightmare were only just beginning with Gareth Bale being introduced off the bench. His exciting runs giving pirates players twisted blood and it wasn’t long before Van De Vaart put away another glorious opportunity to double the score line. Pirates pushed on but were halted 20 minutes later when, after a dramatic 5 minutes where they missed a penalty, a gorgeous run, nifty footwork and a pin point cross from by Bale allowed Defoe to just tap in spurs third and end the game as a contest
If the first two goals conceded has dented moral the third positively knocked the wind out of the Sea Robbers sail as a result Pirates very quickly faded into a state of little creativity and no spark and seemed to just be wishing for the minutes to run down.
New pirates coach, Julio Leal was quick to blame the defeat on fatigue experienced by his players, as a result of travel and fixture congestion, but stressed that the tournament had served as an important preparation for the upcoming season and gave him a clearer picture as too who should play where. Spurs boss Harry Redknapp was as equally impressed with the standard of the tournament “South Africa is a great place and the quality of the local teams were good, the tournament was good for the fitness of our players and we hope to return next year” said Redknapp. When asked the reason for his teams vast improvement and near destruction of pirates Redknapp responded by saying: “we took our chances well and that was the difference”
Man of tournament and Golden boot winner: Rafael Van De Vaart
Point to ponder: was this the last time we would see Modric in a spurs jersey?
What were your thoughts and reactions to the Vodacom challenge? Should it be continued again next year? Who would you like to see participate in it?
Leave your comments in the section below.
In : Football