Posted in News on Jul 30, 2007.
The loss to Pirates meant that The Amakhosi were unable to hold onto the trophy they won in 2006, even though Pirates ended up losing the final this past Saturday to Tottenham Hotspurs it was scant consolation for The Amakhosi to see their fierce rivals lose to the English Premier League team.
Chiefs have effectively been handed a second bite at Pirates when they meet in the second Telkom Charity Cup semifinal to be played at the Independence Stadium in Mmabatho on Saturday, and will be aiming for a victory which will allow for them to level matters against Pirates in pre-season games between the two teams.
With the annual pre-season Charity spectacular moving away from Johannesburg for the first time in it’s 22 year history, The Amakhosi will be out to re-write history as the first team to win the competition outside the city of gold.
½ Million Votes Cast
The South African soccer loving fraternity did their bit for charity this year with over 500 000 fans voting from across the 16 PSL teams getting behind the club of their choice, with the league and sponsors hoping to collect a grand total of R 5 million for charity.
Fans from across the country have played their part towards ensuring that the 2007 Telkom Charity Cup will be able to reach its set target, the voting itself saw Silver Stars soon to be named Platinum Stars having received the most votes, a mammoth tally of 165 503 votes Chiefs came in second with 80 669 votes followed by Orlando Pirates on 78 538 votes and Bloemfontein Celtic who garned 62 510.
In addition the Telkom Charity Cup website received over two and a half million hits in the six weeks that it was up from the time the voting lines opened, until their closure a few days ago with people from all across the globe including far flung corners of the globe such as Iceland viewing the official tournament website.
A New Champion
With defending Telkom Charity Cup champions Mamelodi Sundowns unable to defend their trophy as they were double booked for the weekend the 2007 tournament will have a new champion, with Sundowns winning the last three installments of the competition they were allowed to keep the old Telkom Charity Cup trophy.
With a new champion to be crowned this weekend the sponsors have brought in a new trophy, which Chiefs captain Cyril Nzama is looking forward to holding aloft as Chiefs go in search of their first Telkom Charity Cup crown since 2003.
Nzama commenting after hearing about the draw on Monday afternoon said “we have not won the trophy for four years and we feel that winning the Telkom Charity Cup would be the perfect way for us to round off our pre-season preparations.
We not going to hide from the truth and say revenge is not on our minds, we obviously want to get back at Pirates for knocking us out of the Vodacom Challenge. We would like to get our hands on the newly launched Telkom Charity Cup trophy and believe it will be right at home in the trophy cabinet in Naturena”.
North West to be the perfect hosts
Out going Premier Soccer League Chairman Trevor Phillips believes that the North West Province will stage an amazing event, as the Charity event leaves Johannesburg for the first time.
The North West Province have pulled out all the stops and have arranged an array an artists to keep the large crowd that is expected to fill the Independence Stadium in Mmabatho well entertained, prior to the first match which will kick off at 10h00 am on Saturday.
While the event has been moved to the North West Province soccer fans in Johannesburg need not feel left out, as the PSL and Telkom will run a fan park at the Dorothy Nyembe Park in Dobsonville in Soweto. Fans wanting to live the stadium atmosphere can go down to the Park in Dobsonville and soak up the carnival atmosphere, and watch the game on giant screens.
Supporters intending to watch the games in Mmabatho can purchase tickets for any Shoprite/ Checkers outlet or Computicket Branch around South Africa, with adults paying R40 for a ticket and Juveniles paying R20.
2007 TELKOM CHARITY CUP MATCH SCHEDULE
Saturday 4th August 2007
Match 1: Silver Stars Vs Bloemfontein Celtic, Kick Off: 10h00 am
Match 2: Orlando Pirates Vs Kaizer Chiefs, Kick Off: 12h00 pm
Match 3: Winner Match 1 Vs Winner Match 2, Kick Off: 17h00 pm
Gates open at 09h00 am.
