The Buccaneers come into the second leg as favourites after failing to get a win in the first meeting.
Orlando Pirates disappointed their fans after failing to defeat Malagasy outfit CS Disciples who they felt was a relatively easier opponent in the first leg of the first preliminary round of the Caf Champions League.
The Sea Robbers failed to break their hosts' defense at the National Sports Complex in Saint Pierre, Mauritania and the match eventually ended goalless.
Ahead of the second leg on Friday, former Sea Robbers attacker James Mothibi is sure the Nedbank Cup champions will do enough to advance.
‘Disciples will not beat Pirates at Orlando Stadium'
“I say people shouldn’t be surprised by the score, one can only be surprised if he or she has never played in these kinds of competitions and probably doesn’t understand what usually happens there,” he told SNL24.
“People who are criticizing Pirates for playing 0-0 are probably from a point of not understanding these kinds of competitions and matches. If you understand how we usually get treated out of the country, you will have an idea of why the result was probably like that.
“Coming to the Disciples match, Pirates have coaches who are professional, and I can assure you now that they won’t say a word when it comes to complaining and all those things. It won’t happen, and all they did was take the 0-0 draw and come back home to prepare for the second leg.
“That team Disciples is not going to win here. I can put my head on the block about that, they are not going to win. I played in the Champions League, and I know what goes into preparing for these kinds of matches,” Mothibi concluded.
Who awaits Pirates in the second phase?
In case Bucs advance on Friday, they will play either African Stars Soccer Club or Jwaneng Galaxy in the final preliminary stage.
Interestingly, the latter eliminated the Sea Robbers from the competition last season in the second preliminary round through penalties after an aggregate 1-1 scoreline. The Botswanians lost 1-0 in the first leg against the Namibians.
The Soweto giants will be determined to avenge the loss if the two teams overcome their opponents in the second leg.