Orlando Pirates win in Germany Photo courtesy of Orlando Pirates FC

RELATED LINKS: Pirates to represent SA in Germany Notching up yet another success, Orlando Pirates were urged to act as 2010 World Cup ambassadors when they represent South Africa in a five-a-side tournament to be held in Germany. Read more Soccer fever hits Joburg THOUGH the mood in Johannesburg was not as wildly festive as in Munich where the first opening match of the 18th Soccer World Cup took place, many local soccer fanatics rushed to bars and sports bars to catch the first game of the tournament while sipping their favourite beer. Read more Officials observe Germany's World Cup experiences AN exhibition to be hosted in Germany after this year's Soccer World Cup will give South African host cities a prime opportunity to prepare themselves for 2010. Read more Fifa - Joburg is ready and waiting JOBURG soccer supporters are fanatic about their teams, and justifiably so, since the city has some of the best teams around - with current log leaders Wits University and the PSL cup holders Pirates both based in Johannesburg. Read more

Orlando Pirates win in Germany Making good on their promise to be ambassadors for South Africa, Orlando Pirates pipped 15 teams in their first-ever appearance in an international five-a-side tournament in Germany. July 5, 2006 By Ndaba Dlamini Flying the South African flag high in Germany, Orlando Pirates's five-a-side team has won the coveted Hyundai Cup, held as part of the build up to 2006 Fifa World Cup finals. The Bucs, as the Soweto soccer giants are known, beat 15 teams from around the globe. They beat the Ukraine 3-0 in the final played on 30 June in Frankfurt, courtesy of goals from Bheki Khumalo, Keanan Thomas and Gift Mokone. The young squad was rewarded with tickets to watch the 2006 Fifa World Cup quarter-final match between Brazil and France on Saturday, 1 July. The Orlando Pirates squad gets a send off to the five-a-side tournament in Germany This was the first time Orlando Pirates have taken part in the tournament, held as a build-up to the Fifa Soccer World Cup finals. The Hyundai Cup tournament takes place every four years. During a send-off ceremony, the Gauteng MEC for sports, arts, culture and recreation, Barbara Creecy, urged the team to should serve as the country's ambassadors and be the eyes of South Africa in Germany. "Make connections with your counterparts in Germany. You will be there to market both yourselves and the Gauteng, the home of champions. Learn all international soccer skills and standards of football because as young people we expect that you be part of Bafana Bafana soccer team to represent South Africa during the 2010 World Cup," said Creecy. On the road to the finals in Germany, Orlando Pirates managed to get past 42 teams at a Hyundai five-a-side soccer tournament held in Pimville in March this year. The victorious team of coach Sphiwe Ngwenya; Sizwe Nkabinde, Keanan Thomas, Tshepo "Figo" Mokone, Thabiso Tlhodi, Tsietsi Mkwanazi, Bheki Mlambo and Mofolo Motlalepula will be coming back on Thursday, 6 July, according to Micky Modisane, Orlando Pirates spokesperson. "The boys did us proud to land the trophy," he said. Permission to use web site material Publishers may use material from this site free of charge, as long as: Credit is given to either the "City of Johannesburg website (www.joburg.org.za)" or to "Johannesburg News Agency (www.joburg.org.za)"; If the article is used online, a link is provided to the original article on this website; The name of the article's author is acknowledged; The webmaster is informed of how and where the material is used (fill in this brief online form). Johannesburg News Agency is operated by BIG Media at 011-484-1400 Print this Page E-mail this article to a friend Help using Joburg.org.za