Orlando Pirates’ ambitions of qualifying for the CAF Champions League group stages hang by a thread as they have to beat Jwaneng Galaxy by two goals or more in their preliminary second-leg clash on Friday.
The Buccaneers will cross swords with Botswana Premier League champions at the Orlando Stadium on Friday night. Kick-off is at 7.30pm.
Pirates find themselves on the backfoot, as they trail Jwaneng by one goal following their 1-0 defeat in the first leg at the National Stadium in Botswana recently.
Looking ahead to the must-win encounter, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro said their disappointing defeat is a thing of the past, noting that they will focus on getting a positive result to cement their place in the group stages.
“It’s a home game against a good team who are already leading 1-0. It’s a challenge but we love challenges,” Riveiro told the media at Rand Stadium on Thursday.
“This one is an opportunity to prove that even in difficult circumstances, we can make it. We can be our best version.
“What happened in Botswana is in the past and tomorrow [today] we have the opportunity to write an important piece in the club’s history for our future.
“The players really want to go to the group stages and test themselves against the best teams on the continent.”
Riveiro said qualifying for the group stages of the continental competition is one of the club’s objectives of the season.
It goes without saying that the Sea Robbers will be under pressure to deliver on the day, as they go up against a Morena Ramoreboli side, who somewhat has a trick up his sleeve of sinking the Bucs ship – having beaten them twice already in his coaching career.
Even so, Riveiro said his charges will not dwell on the past but will go out guns blazing to change their fortunes in the Champions League.
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