A 10-goal thriller was the outcome, kicking off four decades of rivalry, thrills and heated passion.
The occasion was the Rogue Beer Cup. With attempts to reformulate an organised League competition falling flat, tournaments such as the Rogue Cup took on greater importance in 1970.
On 24 January, Chiefs faced up to their aggrieved parent in the third place play-off – and were punished with six goals, though, being the cocky upstart they were, the new kids replied with four of their own.
6-4 – a result more suited to tennis, but what a treat for the fans in Orlando Stadium!
Unfortunately, while Chiefs and Pirates were in hot form, the assembled newspaper scribes were letting the side down. Research has unearthed three vastly different match reports, all disagreeing on the list of goalscorers, and one even offering a different scoreline.
Mark Gleeson's initial research in the archives of the Bantu World has Bernard 'Dancing Shoes' Hartze and Remember Majoe both scoring twice for Pirates, and Ace Ntsoelengoe hitting a brace for Chiefs, with Petros 'Ten-Ten' Nzimande scoring at both ends.
But follow-up research by KICK OFF in the annals of the Golden City Post reveals a different picture. The Post has more than one edition, and their East Rand version has the scoreline wrong. Perhaps the match was still being played, with Pirates 5-4 up when that edition went to the printers, for that is the score fans east of Jozi were given!
The main edition concurs with the World, giving 6-4 as the scoreline, but they are gentle on Nzimande, not recording his own goal. They disagree with the World on other scorers too.
To muddy the waters further, veterans of the day cannot agree on the facts. KICK OFF's own Cyril McAravey, who was very involved in the formation of Chiefs, cannot remember the scorers clearly … he seems to think 'Ace' might have netted a hat-trick, while 'Dancing Shoes' is convinced he got a hat-trick himself, for Pirates…
Until the day we can pin down the truth, KICK OFF will stick tentatively with the Bantu World report.
24 January 1970, Orlando (Rogue Beer Cup third place play-off)
Kaizer Chiefs: (2) 4 (Pule Ntsoelengoe 2, Petros Nzimande, Jacob Masike)
Orlando Pirates: (2) 6 (Percy Moloi, Petros Nzimande own goal, Remember Majoe 2, Bernard Hartze 2)
What is undisputed fact is that the first ever meeting between Chiefs and Pirates was a mere curtain-raiser.
The main match, the Rogue Beer Cup Final was played between Pirates' traditional rivals Moroka Swallows and Pimville United Brothers, with The Birds beating The Skomboys 4-3. (PUBS had beaten Chiefs in the semifinals of this eight-team tournament, and Swallows had eliminated Pirates.)
For the bronze medal match, Chiefs brought back Thomas 'Zero' Johnson from Botswana where he was playing and coaching. According to Bantu World report, Percy 'Chippa' Moloi was in hot form for the Buccaneers, and he soon opened the scoring.
Then 'Ten-Ten' Nzimande put through his own net, the ball deflecting in off his head. Chiefs were in trouble, but the Ace up their sleeves and Ntsoelengoe scored twice to make the half-time scoreline 2-2.
Nzimande went from villain to hero, scoring at the correct end to put Chiefs in front.
However, the People's Club gradually gained the ascendancy, the Word reporting that Moloi won his duel of skills with Motaung in the second half.
Remember Majoe made it 3-3 and before Hartze restored Pirates' lead. When Majoe got his second, it looked all over for Chiefs – but hang on, Jackie Masike made it 5-4.
Right at the end, Hartze struck again to make the game safe for Pirates. 6-4!
KICK OFF history appeal
Do you know anyone who was at the game? Were you there yourself? Do you have old scrapbooks that might shed light on this incredible match?