After holding title holders Al Ahly to a hard-fought, goalless draw at the weekend, Orlando Pirates will go into their next CAF Champions League third group stage match against Stade d’Abidjan, buoyed by their coach’s approval.
The game is scheduled for Saturday afternoon in Abidjan, Ivory Coast.
According to Pirates coach Jose Riveiro, his team is now prepared to play any club in the CAF Champions League following their performance against Africa’s Club of the Century.
With two wins in their first two games, the Buccaneers are in the thick of things in Group C.
Joint leaders of Group C
In their first game, they defeated SC Belouizdad of Algeria 2-1 on the road, and Riveiro’s team did not have a bad showing in the draw with Ahly.
Pirates are hoping to advance to the quarterfinals of the competitions by finishing number one or getting a runners-up spot in the group.
“We are leading the group with Ahly in terms of points, and we are getting ready for the next match,” said Riveiro.
“The lesson for us is that when we play at this level with the determination, ambition and concentration, we can compete with anyone.
“Our young team played against a team with a lot of experience in this type of competition and games.”
Supporters played a big role
He continued: “They [Ahly] have big name players, but we coped. We had more spaces than them, and we managed to be superior, and we felt stronger after the match.
“If we face the other matches with the same attitude, tomorrow we are going to be a better team — the kind of level the boys played at is important.
“And it was good with the help of our people [supporters]; they were excellent. It’s enjoyable to play in Orlando in this atmosphere.”
The fact that the Pirates created more opportunities than their opponents will also give them confidence.
Marcel Koller, the coach of Al Ahly, was impressed with their performance and declared that Bucs are a good and strong team.
This should boost Riveiro’s players ahead of their trip to west Africa at the weekend.
