Orlando Pirates coach Ouaddou pleased club avoid lengthy trip for African Stars tie

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is pleased his side will avoid a long trip to Namibia in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round after being drawn against African Stars.

The Namibian champions are set to host Pirates in the first leg, but the match is expected to be played in South Africa because Namibia currently does not have a CAF-approved stadium available to stage the fixture.

African Stars are likely to use the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Pretoria as their home venue, meaning both legs of the tie could be played on South African soil.

For Ouaddou, the reduced travel demands are a welcome development as Pirates balance their continental commitments with a busy domestic schedule.

The Moroccan coach believes avoiding a long journey, particularly to West Africa, will allow his players to recover better and prepare properly for their next league assignment.

“The good news is we stay in South Africa [for both games], this is good news, not good news because we’re playing that team,” said Ouaddou.

“It’s another game, we have to respect all the opponents. For us to stay here is less kilometres to travel because to get to West Africa, it’s far and you still have to prepare for the league game of the next two, three days.”

While Ouaddou is pleased with the logistical advantage, he has stressed that Pirates will not underestimate African Stars.

The Buccaneers will be expected to approach the tie with full respect for their Namibian opponents as they continue their pursuit of a place in the CAF Champions League group stage.

Playing both matches in familiar surroundings could also help Pirates manage the physical demands of the competition, particularly with the domestic season continuing at the same time.

Ouaddou is therefore looking at the situation from a practical perspective. Rather than spending valuable time travelling long distances, his players can remain in South Africa, maintain their normal preparations and focus directly on the two-legged tie.

Pirates will now look to take advantage of the favourable travel circumstances and produce a strong performance against African Stars as they seek to progress further in Africa’s premier club competition.