Orlando Pirates set sights on Champions League group-stage return

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says reaching the CAF Champions League group stages is a major target for the club after last season’s early exit.

Pirates must first overcome Namibian champions African Stars in the second preliminary round of the competition. The opening leg will be played at Botswana National Stadium in Gaborone on Saturday at 3pm, with the return match scheduled for Orlando Stadium on Friday, October 23 at 7.30pm.

The South African side were knocked out at the same stage last season by Congolese club FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo.

“It’s very important to come back with a positive result from Botswana,” Ouaddou said at the Carling Knockout Cup launch and draw in Fourways on Wednesday.

“It’s important that this year we get into the group stages. It’s a big, big target. We took a lesson from last season.”

Ouaddou said preparations had been complicated by the fact that the Namibian league has not yet started, limiting the availability of recent footage of African Stars.

“But we will get some. We have already started to study them and we have some information … we have to go a little bit deeper going forward,” he said.

Pirates will also begin the defence of their Carling Knockout title at home against newcomers Milford. The opening round is due to start on October 24, although the league will confirm the dates and kick-off times at a later stage.

The two clubs have already met in the league this season, with Pirates winning 2-0 at home in August’s opening match.