Online Reporter
SOUTH African giants Orlando Pirates play in Egypt for a sixth time in the club’s history today when they battle African Champions League holders Al Ahly in Cairo for top place in Group C.
It is the last group game for both clubs, who have both made sure of a top two finish in the standings and a berth in the quarter-finals in March.
It just over nine years since the Buccaneers were last in Cairo, upsetting Ahly 4-3 in the second leg of their African Confederation Cup semifinal to advance to the final 5-3 on aggregate.
Pirates had a slender 1-0 lead from the home leg and were 2-0 down in the return in Suez before scoring four times in the second half through Kermit Erasmus, Thamsanqa Gabuza, Thabo Matlaba and the winner five minutes into stoppage time from Thabo Rakhale.
They also beat Al Ahly 3-0 away in the Champions League group competition in 2013, which remains the heaviest home defeat that the Egyptian giants have ever suffered in continental club competition.
The game was played in the seaside town of El Gouna and saw Thandani Ntshumayelo, Andile Jali (penalty) and Sifiso Myeni score in a shock triumph for Roger de Sa’s side.
But Ahly got their revenge when the two clubs met again in the second leg of the final five months later, which Al Ahly won 2-0 to take the trophy 3-1 on aggregate.
Pirates’ other two trips to Egypt have been to face Zamalek, also in the 2013 group stages of the Champions League which they lost 2-1 and in the group stages of the 2015 Confederation Cup where they lost 4-1. Neither defeats, however, stopped Pirates from progressing to finish runners-up in both competitions.
Meanwhile, Pirates forward Tshegofatso Mabasa believes the Buccaneers could go all the way.
“Reaching the Champions League quarte-finals is all we’ve always wanted to achieve as a team, this achievement is big,” Mabasa said ahead of today’s game.
“I don’t know when was the last time this club was in the Champions League quarter-finals.
“Hopefully, we can continue to work hard and go all the way in this tournament. We are really looking forward to going to the semifinals and we will take it from there, hopefully, we can get that second star but we are taking one game as it comes.
“Al Ahly are a big team but we are also a big team and we want to finish top of the group. We know it won’t be easy, especially away from home but we believe in ourselves. We will go there and put on a show, we are up for it.
“We’ve worked long and hard during preseason and now we’re reaping the rewards. This is also a build-up from last season because we were eliminated early but that motivated us to want it more this season.” – SuperSport
daniel chigunwe
