Orlando Pirates held by Disciples in CAF Champions League opener

Published on by Nkosiyabuya Sithole

Orlando Pirates opened their CAF Champions League campaign with a 0-0 draw against Disciples FC in the first leg of the first preliminary round in Mauritius.

As anticipated, Ezimnyama Ngenkani exhibited dominance during the first half; however, they lacked the precision required to convert their opportunities into goals.

The home team's defense had a busy spell the whole first stanza and managed to maintain a clean sheet until the halftime break.

Disciples had a few forward movements but also couldn’t make use of them to get a goal.

Mabasa could have put Pirates ahead just ten minutes before the final whistle but his attempt struck the crossbar.

The second leg will be hosted by the Sea Robbers on Friday, 23 August at Orlando Stadium at 7:30 pm.

Pirates revenge match doubtful as opponents stunned

In the previous season, the Buccaneers faced elimination from the Champions League at the hands of Jwaneng Galaxy during the second preliminary round, which was decided by a penalty shootout.

Galaxy secured a narrow victory in the first leg with a score of 1-0, while Pirates managed to equalize with a 1-0 win in the second leg, necessitating a penalty shootout to determine the outcome.

Since then, the Buccaneers haven’t been able to seek retribution against Jwaneng Galaxy, who had previously ousted them from the Champions League.

In a surprising turn of events, Galaxy suffered a 1-0 defeat to the Namibian team, African Stars, in an away match on Saturday. The Botswana giants are set to host the second leg on August 24 at the Botswana National Stadium, commencing at 4 PM.

Should the scoreline be in favour of African Stars after the completion of two legs, they will face Ezimnyama Ngenkani in the second preliminary round. The first leg will take place in the weekend of 13-15 September (17 September as alternative) while the return tie will be played between 20-22 September.

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Nkosiyabuya Sithole

Nkosiyabuya Sithole, a young and rising sports journalist based in Durban, South Africa, harbors a deep passion for football. Nevertheless, he aspires to become a well-rounded journalist, adept in various areas of the field.

Nkosi's career began in 2020, working as a home-based writer during the COVID-19 pandemic. He has since written for various websites, including Briefly News, FiND-iT News, and The South African. Attending live sporting events is a particular pleasure for him, as they provide opportunities for interaction with sports personalities.

Outside of the office, he's a God-fearing and affable young man.