By Staff Reporter
With Mamelodi Sundowns bombing out of the Caf Champions League before the semi-finals, Orlando Pirates remain the only club that will fly the flag for South Africa on the continent, The Buccaneers are the country’s sole representatives on the African stage after eliminating Simba SC of Tanzania 4-3 on penalties at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday, 24 April after winning 1-0 in the second leg of their quarterfinal stalemate. They are joining TP Mazembe, Al Ahli Tripoli and RS Berkane in the Caf Confederation Cup semifinals.
Amabhakabhaka are guaranteed to pocket R7 million for reaching the semifinals of the Caf Confederation Cup. If they reach the final, they will score a handsome R9.8 million. The winner of the competition will take home a princely sum of R20 million.
Supporters and fans hope and dream that this testing season could actually yield some silverware, with Amabhakabhaka booking a well-deserved spot in the Caf Confederation Cup semifinals.
Much as the season has been, to some extent, a field of inconsistency and challenges for the Buccaneers, there is now a glimmer of hope at the end of the tunnel brought about by the momentum the club has been building on the continent. Bucs displayed high levels of tenacity against their temperamental rivals who appeared to be pulling every trick from the bag to create chances to eliminate them (Bucs).
Amabhakaniya were even subjected to some punitive VAR and match official calls during the course of the two-legged quarterfinal, but they displayed an excellent psychological resilience to handle everything thrown at them.
Following a challenging physical and dramatic two-legged encounter, as well as a tough away match under hostile conditions, Bucs players exhibited incredible poise and calmly held their own during penalty shoot-outs.
Triumph against heavily stacked odds and overcoming tough conditions always serve as catalysts for players to become fired-up. These push them to start believing they have in them to go all the way. In cup competitions of this stature, confidence and unity of purpose play a huge role.
The road to the semifinals
It is a known fact, which even Bucs have admitted, that the club struggled in their voyages to Libya in 2021 where they had to conquer playing on an artificial turf. They were fighting fit to get a point against Al Ahly Bhengazi in Libya before returning home and concluding the job with a 3-0 win.
Orlando Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi told the media about plans to travel through the challenges in the semifinal.
“We have to try and get an artificial turf, my recommendation before. I know it’s different and it’s not as good. But when we went there the first time, we did not train on an artificial turf and some of our players are really uncomfortable, but it is what it is, you can’t choose your parents, you were born in that family,” he said. “We have to go there and make the best of it. We can’t complain, it’s not the stage to complain. Pirates must fight like soldiers and represent the badge, the country and the millions of Pirates supporters.”
Could it be TP Mazembe?
Amabhakaniya are likely to face one of the Libyan sides in the semifinal – Al Ittihad Libya or Al Ahli Tripoli.
In the event they progress to the finals, they could be up against their arch-rival, DRC giants, TP Mazembe. Pirates have revelled in some gutsy matches against Mazembe in the past.
Mazembe will have to beat Al Masry of Egypt or Moroccan outfit RS Berkane in the semifinal, after trouncing Pyramids of Egypt in the last eight.
