Orlando Amstel Arena hosts another do-or-die clash as Orlando Pirates welcome Mauritius’ La Cure Waves in the second leg of their CAF Champions League First Preliminary Round tie on Saturday afternoon.
The all-important encounter in Soweto stands between either side and progression in the tournament after the opening leg finished level. A spot in the next round beckons as the race to be counted among the teams featuring in the group stages heats up with both sides looking to extend their stay among Africa’s elite.
It all comes down to their showdown at the Arena, which is set for a high-stakes homecoming for the Buccaneers who step on familiar turf again after a gruelling two weeks on the road.
The Challenge Ahead
The two sides touched down on South African soil shortly after playing to a goalless stalemate in the first leg played at Port Louis. It’s a result that slightly favoured the Mauritian champions, who withstood relentless attacks from their South African counterparts and came away from the fixture without conceding a potentially costly away goal.
On their visit to Orlando, La Cure Waves have the advantage in the case of a draw where both sides register goals. Pirates will nonetheless be aiming to avoid such a situation as they look to make homeground advantage count and secure their passage to the next round.
With neither side able to establish a notable upper hand in the opening encounter, the margin for error has been significantly reduced. The Buccaneers will know that an outright victory is enough to settle the tie, while La Cure Waves arrive in Soweto needing to produce another disciplined performance if they are to extend their historic continental adventure.
Still unbeaten across competitions in the ongoing season, the home side goes into the clash with some momentum behind them despite hitting a bump in the opening leg. They are nine matches into their campaign and boast a perfect win record on home turf.
All this bodes well as they square up against a side stepping in uncharted territory. The Soweto Giants will however go into this particular fixture well aware of the defensive discipline that was the hallmark of the islanders’ stubborn display last Sunday.
Team News
The Buccaneers made a few more moves in the transfer market between the first and second legs, welcoming Academy product Bheki Mabuza back in a permanent move from league rivals Marumo Gallants. The 23-year-old has begun training while another recent signing, Mohau Nkota has to wait a while longer for his own official homecoming as he continues to recover from an injury picked up late last season.
