Orlando Pirates draw on past Champions League disappointment against African Stars

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says last season’s failure to reach the CAF Champions League group stage has taught his side how to approach their tie against African Stars more effectively.

The Buccaneers face the Namibian champions in the first leg of the second preliminary stage at the National Stadium in Gaborone, Botswana, tomorrow afternoon.

Pirates were knocked out at the same stage last season after their tie ended 3-3 on aggregate, with the opponents progressing on penalties. They lost the away leg 3-0 before winning the return match by the same scoreline.

Ouaddou believes that experience has given Pirates a clearer understanding of what is required in continental football, where conditions and playing styles differ from those in the Premier Soccer League.

“Very important for us because I always said that you have to take lessons from the experience, like I said last season of course everybody gave their maximum to go through the stage but like the captain said you have to adapt to the environment,” Ouaddou said.

“You have to travel, you have to be more smart as well, play the game with more cleverness because the Champions League is another environment. It’s another competition, it’s another profile of the players, the way that teams are playing is different from the PSL and when I say that I speak not only in terms of physicality.

“So, for us it will be important to change the way that we manage these kinds of games and we have to simply take a lesson and to be more smarter to manage those kinds of games.”

African Stars advanced from the previous round against Gabonese club Mangasport and will provide another demanding test for Pirates.

The Namibian champions progressed on the away-goal rule after the tie finished 3-3. They had lost the first leg 3-1 in Libreville, but their overall result was enough to secure a place in the second preliminary stage.

Ouaddou said Pirates had prepared thoroughly despite a demanding run of fixtures and stressed the importance of starting the match with sufficient energy.

“It’s a game, of course that is very important for us. We prepared very well, although we had very, very heavy fixtures but for us it’s an important appointment against a very good team, the champions of Namibia,” the coach added.

He said African Stars’ victory in South Africa against Mangasport, following a lengthy journey, demonstrated the quality and experience within their squad.

“We know that to be able to go through that stage and to win in South Africa against Mangasport after a long, long travel, it means a lot for us. It means that this team has quality experienced players.

“For us it’s really important to have some freshness to start that game and of course the target is to manage that game.”