Orlando Pirates youngsters set for Dutch test on Winners Tour

Orlando Pirates’ DStv Diski Challenge squad will face a series of tests against Dutch opposition after the Premier Soccer League confirmed the young Buccaneers’ Winners Tour itinerary.

The squad will travel to the Netherlands this evening and is due to return to South Africa on 23 August. The trip comes after Orlando Pirates won last season’s DStv Diski Challenge title, finishing ahead of their main challengers, Mamelodi Sundowns.

Their first match is scheduled for Tuesday, when they will meet SBV Vitesse Arnhem at the Papendal Complex. The Dutch club has a reputation for developing promising young players and was previously home to former Bafana Bafana midfielder Thulani Serero.

Orlando Pirates will then play De Graafschap two days later at the Bezelhorst training complex in Doetinchem. De Graafschap’s under-21 side are the current holders of the KNVB Dutch Cup, providing another demanding examination for the DStv Diski Challenge champions.

The tour will continue in Rotterdam on 22 August, where Orlando Pirates will take part in a mini-tournament at Robey Academy. Their opponents there will be Sparta Rotterdam and Japan’s Yamanashi Gakuin High School.

The trip also includes the chance for the young players to attend live Dutch Eredivisie matches. They are due to watch a fixture at the Johan Cruijff Arena in Amsterdam on 16 August, before attending another Eredivisie game in Rotterdam on 22 August.

The Netherlands visit forms part of the reward for Orlando Pirates’ success in the DStv Diski Challenge last season. Having secured the championship ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns, the club’s young players will now face opposition from different footballing environments during a tour that includes competitive matches, a mini-tournament and visits to major Dutch football venues.

The schedule gives the squad fixtures against established Dutch clubs as well as a meeting with an international school side. SBV Vitesse Arnhem and De Graafschap will provide the first two tests, while Sparta Rotterdam and Yamanashi Gakuin High School will feature in the Rotterdam tournament.

The Players will return to South Africa on 23 August after completing the Winners Tour.