Pirates, Rangers, Rivers Face Tough Tests in CAF Champions League Qualifiers
by Devesh Jaganath | by Devesh Jaganath
Orlando Pirates vs La Cure Waves - Bucs Need Big Performance at Home
Orlando Pirates’ CAF Champions League campaign got off to an underwhelming start, with the South African champions playing to a frustrating goalless draw away to La Cure Waves last weekend.
Given that the Mauritian outfit’s team is made up largely of players who have full-time jobs away from football, failing to score in the first leg was a major disappointment for the Bucs, though they are still fancied to progress to the next round, as discussed in our CAF Champions League predictions.
Under new boss Abdeslam Ouaddou, Pirates have made a strong start to the PSL season, winning four and drawing one of their first five games, but their inability to consistently deal with more defensive teams remains a major concern.
While the Bucs are expected to get the job done at home this weekend, their away record remains an issue, especially with tougher teams to come. Last term, they suffered a 3-0 defeat to Saint Eloi Lupopo in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Another concern for Pirates this season is a lack of cutting edge in attack. The departure of Relebohile Mofokeng has affected the team’s creativity, and while the arrival of Sebastian Pedersen is expected to fill the void, it will take some time before he hits full stride for the Soweto giants.
Enugu Rangers, Rivers United Locked Level After First Leg Qualifiers
Nigerian football’s hopes of having representatives in this season’s CAF Champions League are far from certain, with Enugu Rangers and Rivers United both playing to 1-1 draws in their opening matches of qualifying last weekend.
Rangers arguably have the tougher task at hand, as they will have to find a big performance in Lomé. The reigning Nigerian champions will face the Beninese outfit Sobemap on Friday at the Kégué Stadium, and will need to overcome the home support in order to progress.
The Flying Antelopes have failed to reach the main draw of Africa’s premier cup competition in each of their last five attempts. The last time they featured in the competition proper was way back in 1975-76, when they reached the semi-final before bowing out to MC Algérois.
Rivers United also played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg of their qualifying tie against FC San Pedro, but they will have the comfort of home support when they face the Ivorian giants at the Godswill Akpabio International Stadium in Uyo on Sunday.
While it will not be an easy match, Rivers’ head coach Finidi George is confident that his side will be able to get the job done. Speaking ahead of the clash in his pre-match press conference, George said:
“We tried to see what they were doing and assess their capacity. Like I said, the game was balanced. But we knew they were a very good team, a young team full of energy, so we knew it was going to be a difficult game. In Nigeria, it is going to be a different ball game. We are going to approach the game differently. I would say it is going to be 60-40 in our favour in Nigeria.”
Rivers failed to get beyond the group stage of the CAF Champions League last season, finishing bottom of Group A with just one point from their six matches (W0 D1 L5).
