The Gqom music played at half time must have been more heart-warming to the soccer fanatics who braved the cold Johannesburg weather to attend an equally cold inaugural Shell Helix Ultra Cup won by Mamelodi Sundowns via Jeremy Brockie’s and Themba Zwane’s strikes.
Brockie fired in his first (unofficial) goal for the Brazilians before substitute Zwane finished coolly on the stroke of full time.
Bernard Parker got a consolation goal for Amakhosi in the referee’s optional time.
But the football here was far from eye-catching. There were too many stray passes and errors with neither team seizing control of the match.
Brockie pounced on Anthony Laffor’s strike which ricocheted off a pole after Sundowns had caught out the Kaizer Chiefs defence with a counterattack.
Chiefs should have had a goal or two, with new signing from Sundowns, Khama Billiat, seeing a strike cleared off the line by goalie Kennedy Mweene just before half time.
Sundowns had one eye on their fourth round African Champions League Group C tie against As Togo-Port of Togo at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Friday. They will be under immense pressure to defeat the Togolese after suffering a surprise 1-0 loss in Lome on Tuesday, putting Pitso Mosimane’s team bottom of the table.Mosimane didn’t start this “fuel cup” match with regulars, preferring Brockie, Laffor, Lucky Mohomi and Mweene in goal. Also in this line-up was new recruit Lyle Lakay and young reserve attacking midfielder Sphelele Mkhulise. Chiefs’ caretaker coach Patrick Mabedi deployed Billiat and new leftback Richard Mirwa. New Chiefs coach Giovanni Solinas is yet to sit on the bench as the club is still sorting out the Italian’s work permit.
The fuel cup filled the gap left after Carling Cup sponsors AB InBev decided to cancel this year’s event, which they said was due to their focus on the World Cup in Russia.
Last year’s beer cup event ended in sorrow after two fans died in a stampede trying to enter at the gates. A year later no one has taken responsibility and no investigation has been set up.
This year’s fuel cup, which drew just over 49,000 fans, was also marred by chaos with the organisers failing to provide parking for some members of the media.
The match was played with a cloud hanging over the start of the league on the weekend of August 3-5. The league kick-off is yet to be confirmed after Ajax Cape Town lodged papers in court this week to interdict the start of the new season.
Kaizer Chiefs (0) 1
Mamelodi Sundowns (0) 2
GOALS: Chiefs: Bernard Parker (93min); Sundowns: Jeremy Brockie (52min), ThembaZwane (90min)..