Orlando Pirates have won and advanced to the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, but if they are to go further in this competition and send a message to the rest of the clubs on the continent, they must be brutal, especially against smaller teams.
Granted, the reigning PSL champions won 3-1 against minnows La Cure Waves from Mauritius yesterday at Orlando Stadium but how they won is what will matter most, especially to Bucs coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.
He, along with several Pirates players, made it clear at the start of the season that their mission was to challenge for the Champions League this season after delivering the league title.
However, if they continue playing the way that they did, they might just find themselves in the same position as last year, when they failed to qualify for the group stages after being stunned by St Eloi Lupopo.
Ouaddou will surely have a tough talk and warn against complacency from his charges. Mistakes like the one Bafana Bafana international goalkeeper Sipho Chaine made will not go unpunished at this level.
The positives for the Lanky Moroccan will be that his striker, Yanela Mbuthuma, picked up from where he left off and returned on the scoresheet when he scored the third goal from a corner. Kabelo Kgositsile and Kamogelo Sebelebele converted the other two goals in the first half.
Pirates will now shift their focus to the league and try to play catch-up to Mamelodi Sundowns before facing off against African Stars of Namibia in the second preliminary round of the Champions League.
African Stars got the better of AS Mangasport from Gabon in their two-legged tie.
- Orlando Pirates won 3-1 against La Cure Waves from Mauritius in the CAF Champions League first preliminary round.
- Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou emphasized the need for a ruthless approach, especially against smaller teams, to advance further in the competition.
- Striker Yanela Mbuthuma scored the third goal, with Kabelo Kgositsile and Kamogelo Sebelebele scoring the other two goals in the first half.
- Goalkeeper Sipho Chaine made a mistake during the game, highlighting potential vulnerabilities at this level.
- Orlando Pirates will next face African Stars of Namibia in the second preliminary round after the latter defeated AS Mangasport from Gabon.
