Kaizer Chiefs’ promising pre-season form will be put to the test when they take on Asian visitors Iran in a friendly match at Bloemfontein’s Vodacom Park Stadium this Saturday afternoon, kick-off at 16h00 with the gates opening at 12h00.

The three-time Asian champions are visiting South Africa for the first time as part of the Persian Football Tour. This past weekend the national team played to a 1-1 draw with Botswana in Gaborone and they will end off their Southern Africa ‘safari’ by taking on the might of Soweto giants Chiefs.

The Amakhosi, under new coach Vladimir Vermezovic, have signaled their ambitions for the 2009/10 domestic season by winning the pre-season Premier Cup on Saturday in the Eastern Cape.

The four-team, one-day tournament, staged at the new Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium in the Eastern Cape, saw Chiefs defeat Bay United 2-0 in the semifinals (thanks to goals from new signings Knowledge Musonda and Nkosinathi Nhleko), before going on to defeat league champions SuperSport United 2-1 in the final with strikes from George Lebese and Josta Dladla.

Now the Soweto club, who last won

the Premier Soccer League in 2005, can augment their hopes of claiming the title with the experience they will gain by taking on the national team of one of Asia’s strongest foot-balling countries.

Affectionately known as ‘Team Melli’, Iran won the Asian Cup three successive times from 1968 to 1976 and they have appeared in three World Cups (1978, 1998 and 2006), but never progressed beyond the first round.

Their attempt to qualify for the 2010 World Cup ended in unsuccessfully as they finished fourth in Group B in the Asian zone final round, but they were just a single point behind second and third placed Korea DPR and Saudi Arabia, with the former having booked their place in next year’s showpiece event.

The focus for Iran is now on being match-sharp ahead of the resumption of qualification for the 2011 AFC Asian Cup in Qatar.

Deputy Chairperson of Phakisa Major Sport Events and Development Corporation, Elizabeth Mamakhooa Maklien said “As part of our obligation given by the MEC of Sport, Mr. Dan “Kusta” Khothule, is to make that soccer prevails and gets taken care of in the province. We are also very honered to have Amakhosi in our province once again, were are expecting an exciting encounter between country Club.

She also added “Phakisa’s mandate is to oversee all the major sports activities in the province and make sure they run properly as we are preparing the province towards 2010”.

Match tickets for Kaizer Chiefs vs. Iran are on sale at Computicket and Shoprite outlets throughout South Africa. Ticket prices are R40 for Main Grandstand, R30 for Open Stand (adult), and R15 for juveniles.