Orlando Pirates are well aware of what awaits them in tonight’s second leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final against Pyramids in Cairo, having survived a serious scare at the FNB Stadium last Saturday.
The game will be played at the 30 June Air Defence Stadium in Cairo at 9pm SA time.
The video assistant referee saved the Buccaneers after Pyramids’ two goals were disallowed. As a result, the Pyramids coaches and players are still furious today.
Importance of away-goal rule
Riveiro told the media after the first leg: “The first leg was a game that should have finished with goals, not 0-0. It is now an open game in the second leg, and we will continue to fight in Egypt.
“This 0-0 score from the first leg is a tricky result for both teams. So, the return match will be very interesting.
“We will fight and do everything to make it possible to go to the final. We want to get the result that we need because of the rules of the competition and the possible double value of the away goal.”
Bucs legend and retired captain Lucky Lekgwathi is confident that his former club can cause an upset in the land of the Pharaohs.
Lekgwathi led Pirates to six major trophies in two successive seasons, making Bucs the only double treble champions since the formation of the Premier Soccer League.
“Pirates have had a good run in the campaign, and I believe they will come back with a good result from Cairo,” Lekgwathi told Sunday World this week.
“They are good at winning away matches, and I don’t see anything that will stop them on Friday against Pyramids.”
Sundowns prepare for a hostile crowd
Mamelodi Sundowns, another semi-finalist, have their hopes of making it to the all-South African final in jeopardy.
Al Ahly of Egypt held the Brazilians to a goalless draw at Loftus Stadium in Pretoria last Saturday as well.
Sundowns and Ahly meet in the semi-final second leg at the Cairo International Stadium on Friday evening. The game is scheduled to kick off at 6pm (SA time).
Early this week, Ahly was given the green light by the Egyptian authorities to allow full attendance at their 75 000-capacity Cairo International Stadium.
The stadium is usually allowed to have a maximum of 30 000 fans attend continental club games at home since the turmoil of the Arab Spring more than a decade ago.
However, due to the importance and magnitude of the game, Ahly requested that the authorities permit them to fill up the stadium to its full capacity.
