Domestic action is on hold for Orlando Pirates this weekend as they shift their attention to the CAF Champions League ahead of their First Preliminary Round clash against Djabal Club d’Iconi from Comoros on Saturday.
The fixture, which takes place at Stade de Moroni in the Comoros capital city of Moroni, marks the Buccaneers’ return to the continent’s premier club competition, having last participated in the 2019/20 edition.
It’s the first of two legs of the tie, with Champions League football set to return to Orlando Stadium for the second leg on Friday, 25 August.
Form Guide
Pirates begin their quest for a second continental title after a mixed bag of results in domestic action, with four fixtures played so far across competitions in the new season.
They have run out in the league three times since the start of the ongoing campaign, bagging four points courtesy of a win and a draw, with one defeat registered.
Their biggest win came when they kicked off their MTN8 title defence with a commanding performance at home to Sekhukhune United, where they ran off 5-0 victors.
A week since that emphatic win, they will be facing off against the reigning Comoros Premier League champions, who will be making their second appearance in Champions League football, a decade after encountering the Buccaneers in their debut.
Djabal have been in offseason since June, following a successful 2022/23 campaign, where they prevailed in a tight league title race to finish the season with two titles, having also tasted cup success weeks prior.
With no domestic football scheduled until late September, all the focus for Zainoudine Msoili’s troops will be on upsetting the Soweto Giants over the two-legged tie, with the winner set to face one of Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy and Vipers from Uganda in the last preliminary round before the group stage.
Team News
The change in competition could also mean some changes in playing personnel deployed for the fixture.
Bucs skipper Innocent Maela could be among those making their first start this season after making brief cameos against Sekhukhune and Chippa United.
The fixture could also provide the perfect opportunity for new signings such as Lesedi Kapinga and Karim Kamvuidi, who are yet to debut for the Buccaneers.
Players to Watch
Comoros international Bakri Youssouf skippers the side and is an influential figure on the left flank, where he is often deployed. The 27-year-old was one of the standouts for the national team in the recent COSAFA Cup tournament played in Durban, chipping in with two assists in the 3-0 victory against Seychelles.
Djabal also possess a potent goal-scoring threat in international striker Affane Djambae, who was central to their success last season as he clinched the Golden Boot.
Head-to-Head
It will be a case of deja vu for the Comoran outfit, as they meet the side that eliminated them in a similar stage in their only other Champions League appearance.
The two sides locked horns in the 2012/2013 edition of the tournament, where Pirates triumphed in the first leg at Orlando Stadium with Takesure Chinyama netting four times after Sifiso Myeni opened the scoring en route to a 5-0 victory.
It was also one-way traffic in the away leg, as Chinyama, Thulasizwe Mbuyane, Ndumiso Mabena and Onyekachi Okonkwo all got on the scoresheet in a 4-0 victory to kick the Buccaneers’ campaign off with a 9-0 aggregate win before they went on to finish as runners-up.
How to Follow Djabal vs Orlando Pirates
The game kicks off at 14:30 and will not be televised. You can follow live updates across Orlando Pirates social media platforms, as well as the Club’s official mobile app.
