Orlando Pirates host Côte d’Ivoire’s Stade d’Abidjan on Saturday evening in a must-win TotalEnergies CAF Champions League Group C encounter.
For the Buccaneers, the equation is straightforward: a victory will leave them just a point away from qualifying for the knockout stages. Meanwhile, the visitors, currently rooted at the bottom of the group with only one point from three games, face elimination unless they secure all three points.
So it’s safe to say Stade d’Abidjan won’t be in Johannesburg for a holiday—they’re here to fight.
José Riveiro’s men must prepare for a clash with a side eager to upset the balance, fully aware of the significance of this encounter. And why wouldn’t they?
After all, it was against the Buccaneers that Stade d’Abidjan earned their first group-stage point; a 1-all draw. That result proved the Ivorian outfit is far more than a group-stage filler.
Current Form (Last Five Matches)
W-D-D-W–W
Les Yéyés are riding an impressive unbeaten streak, having avoided defeat in their last five matches across all competitions. Their 1-1 draw with Pirates seems to have ignited a purple patch of form of sorts, as they’ve gone on to score 13 goals in those matches, averaging 2.6 goals per game.
This fine run of results has propelled Alexandre Lafitte’s team up the domestic league standings, where they now sit in second place, trailing leaders AFAD only on goal difference—a gap narrowed by a commanding 3-1 win over AFAD last month.
Key Players
In the previous analysis by Orlandopiratesfc.com, attention centred on midfield maestros Aka and Niampe, who control the tempo for Stade d’Abidjan. However, in this must-win clash, the attacking players will hold the key. Keep an eye on these players:
- Roger Assalé
- Youssouf Koné
- Kassoum Koné
Each has demonstrated the ability to exploit defensive lapses, and they’ll be eager to test the Buccaneers’ backline.
Threats and Weaknesses
As with any football team, Stade d’Abidjan come into this game carrying both strengths and vulnerabilities.
Main Threats
• Goalscoring Ability: Les Yéyés are prolific, having scored in their last six matches. What makes them particularly dangerous is the distribution of goals across the squad, making it difficult to single out one player for defensive focus.
• Set Pieces: Pirates know this threat all too well, having conceded a set-piece goal in the reverse fixture. Stade d’Abidjan employ clever routines involving blockers, allowing a player to peel off and target the far post—whether to head back across goal or, as Pirates experienced, score directly.
Main Weakness
• Defensive Fragility: While Stade d’Abidjan have no trouble finding the net, they struggle to keep their opponents out. They’ve failed to keep a clean sheet in their last nine competitive matches, conceding 15 goals (an average of 1.6 goals per game). In many of their victories, they’ve had to come from behind, highlighting defensive lapses early in games.
Conclusion
Saturday’s match will be anything but a walk in the park for the Buccaneers. Stade d’Abidjan are better than their position on the table suggests, and their recent form proves they are no pushovers.
For Pirates to secure the crucial three points, they’ll need to be at their best, both tactically and mentally, to overcome this hard-running and relentless Ivorian side.
Kickoff: 18:00 (SA Time)
