PRE-SEASON really hots up this Sunday (July 1st) when Queensland Roar face South African side Supersport United at Suncorp Stadium.

Matsatsantsa (the Swanky Boys), as United are known in their homeland, finished 6th in last season’s Castle Premiership and were crowned SAA Supa 8 champions in 2004 and again ABSA champions in 2005.

The game is set to be the first serious test of Roar’s credentials for version 3 of the Hyundai A-League and will be an interesting gauge of how Australian club sides match up against international opposition.

With a reputation of tormenting South Africa’s big three teams, United are rated 4th in the all time Premier Soccer League rankings, a major feat for a club that will be celebrating only its 10-year anniversary later this year.

This also saw United putting out an outstanding performance in the race for Castle Premiership under the tactical eye of Coach Pitso Mosimane.

In his five seasons as Coach, Mosimane came second, second, third, fourth and seventh on the ladder. Some of these standings resulted in Matsatsantsa taking part in the prestigious African Champions League.

At the end of the 2004/05 season, United broke the record for the most number of games played in one season with 54 games including domestic and continental competitions. They also left a memorable legacy of a 9-0 victory over the Red Stars of Seychelles in a new CAF Cup record. To cap it all, Mosimane took out Coach of the Year at the end of the campaign.

Pitso Mosimane’s passion and tactical abilities did not go unnoticed and he is now the assistant coach of the South African National team (Bafana Bafana), hosts of the 2010 FIFA World Cup Finals.

Mosimane is now working alongside former Brazil coach, and now new Bafana Bafana coach, Carlos Alberto Parreira, with Gavin Hunt taking over the Supersport United hotseat in time for the trip Down Under.

United are full of talented young stars that also represent their countries at national level. Captain Ricardo Katza, Siboniso Gaxa, George Mofokeng, Daine Klate, Katlego Mphela and Katlego Mashego have all represented Bafana Bafana.

The Swaziland National team is represented by Dennis Masina (who scored recently against Bafana Bafana) and Tony Tsabedze. James Matola and Shingi Kaondera play for Zimbabwe, James Chamanga turns out for Zambia and Denis Onyango is a Ugandan international.

Sunday’s game at Suncorp Stadium kicks off the Queensland Roars Against Racism campaign and Supersport United have themselves been very active in social causes back in South Africa.

United have adopted a wide range of causes including HIV/AIDS homes, orphanages, disability centres, abused women and children refuges and homes for the elderly. They also received the Mayoral award for contribution by a sports team to the HIV/AIDS Awareness Campaign.

Over and above the adopted homes, United continues to donate stationery to under-privileged schools and provides money to other education centres that could do with a helping hand.

Supersport United are renowned for having the best youth academy in South Africa. This is illustrated by the fact that five academy players represented the South African squad that participated in the U/17 African Championships in Togo. Supersport United players Kermit Erasmus and Philani Khwela netted four of the five goals scored by South Africa.