PSL Teams Look To Progress In CAF

Orlando Pirates and Stellenbosch are in continental action this weekend, with both teams looking to progress past the preliminaries in second-leg ties. The two teams finished second and third in the PSL last season and will be joined by Sundowns & Sekhukhune as South African representatives on the continent. Stellies enjoyed a comfortable 3-0 win over Nsingizini Hotspurs from Eswatini and will progress if they get anything better than a 2-0 defeat. Orlando Pirates, meanwhile, had to settle for a 0-0 draw away to Disciples. They will need a positive result this weekend, but they are heavily favored to do so. We preview the two games below.

Orlando Pirates v Disciples (CAF CL)

The 0-0 draw away to Disciples may not have been the result that Orlando Pirates wanted, but it remains a solid one. Pirates could (and should) have won the first leg based on the chances they created. Yet, on the other hand, the 2023/24 Malagasy Pro League champions also had opportunities to cause an upset late on. Bucs remain strong favorites at home, with some bookies giving them a 75% chance of progressing. Coach Jose Riveiro quickly pointed out that this won’t be an easy ride, and that Pirates can not take anything for granted.

“I can say a lot of things, but the truth is, we need to play close to our best performance, one more time.” – he warned.

Head-to-Head & Form

This is only the second meeting between the two sides, following last week’s stalemate. Overall, this will only the be 12th time a South African team hosts a team from Madagascar, with teams from the nation yet to taste victory. There have been eight wins for SA sides & three draws in the previous 11 meetings. Disciples FC’s season has just started, and this will only be their second competitive game (they won a friendly midweek 3-2). Pirates are playing their third game of the season but have enjoyed some good results leading up to now, with one loss in eight (including friendlies) since May. Orlando Stadium should be packed once again, with the possibility of new signings Gilberto & Deano van Rooyen featuring.

1 – Orlando Pirates have lost just one of their last 24 home games in CAF competition (W14 D8 L1 since July 2015).

Stellenbosch v Nsingizini Hotspurs

Stellenbosch will take a 3-0 lead into the second leg of their tie against Nsingizini Hotspurs on Saturday afternoon. The game will be played at the same stadium (Moses Mabhida) as the first leg, with stadium challenges affecting both sides. Stellies may have ended last season with no wins in their last five games, but they have started this season positively. Six goals in two games have seen them progress to the MTN8 semi-finals and on the brink of securing a spot in the next round of the Confederations Cup. Yet, their coach has warned against complacency.

“One thing that we need to understand is that the tie is not over…” Steve Barker after the 1st leg.

What Next?

Should they progress, Stellebosch will then take on the Congolese side AS Vita in the 2nd Preliminary Round, looking to get a spot in the Group Stage. Orlando Pirates’ next opponent is yet to be decided, but it will be either African Stars or Jwaneng Galaxy (Stars won the 1st leg 1-0). With four days between these games and next week’s MTN8 semi-finals, both teams will probably use the 90 minutes as preparation. Pirates travel to the Mother City to face Cape Town City on Tuesday, while Stellies will visit Mamelodi Sundowns for their first leg the following day. We’ll preview those in detail next week.