African Stars face ‘high mountain’ against Orlando Pirates, says Ronnie Kanalelo

Former African Stars coach Ronnie Kanalelo says the Namibian champions face a formidable task against Orlando Pirates in the CAF Champions League, but believes the two-legged tie offers their players a valuable chance to attract attention.

African Stars reached the second preliminary round after Kanalelo oversaw their comeback against Gabonese side AS Mangasport. They won the second leg 2-0 in Tshwane to progress on the away-goals rule following a 3-3 aggregate draw.

Kanalelo has since left the club to become head coach of Marumo Gallants, but continues to follow the progress of his former side. He told the Siya crew that the contest would expose the gap between the two clubs while giving African Stars an opportunity to compete against one of the continent’s established teams.

“I think it is a good opportunity for the players, first of all, to showcase their skills. It is a high-profile game, and it gives them an opportunity to be seen by scouts from other clubs.

“At the same time, it is going to be a very high mountain to climb because we are talking about amateur players playing against professional players. It is good that the club is in this position, where it can compete against a team of Pirates’ stature,” Kanalelo said.

Tie could bring financial and sporting rewards

Kanalelo also identified potential financial benefits for African Stars, including revenue from the matches, while suggesting strong individual performances could lead to interest from clubs elsewhere.

He warned, however, that the occasion would be difficult despite the opportunities available to the Namibian side. The coach said the scale of the tie could also inspire African Stars players to exceed expectations, pointing to Orlando Pirates’ previous match against Mauritian club La Cure Waves as an example.

“On the field, however, it will obviously be a difficult challenge. But we have also seen how the club from Mauritius (La Cure Waves) performed against Pirates. In these types of games, you can find players who perform above expectations because of the magnitude of the occasion. I will be watching the game,” he added.

Kanalelo’s assessment comes after he guided African Stars through their first preliminary-round tie before taking charge at Marumo Gallants. The Namibian champions must now negotiate a substantially tougher test against Orlando Pirates over two legs in the CAF Champions League.