It was the Buccaneers who reigned supreme, bagging their second away victory in as many matches in North Africa. The result also ensured that they finished the group unbeaten with an impressive 14 points, edging clear of the Egyptians who began the recently-concluded phase of the competition as favourites.

While occupying the top two spots with no chance of slipping out of the race for the quarter-finals, the two sides still had more than enough to play for heading into the fixture.The hosts were not short of chances throughout the first 45, keeping the defensive pair of Nkosinathi Sibisi and Thabiso Sesane busy along with goalkeeper Sipho Chaine.

They grew into the game quite early on, following a few half-chances that fell the way of the visitors and created plenty of work for the Bucs shot-stopper. He was called upon on several occasions and made a few commanding stops amid intense pressure. 

Emam Ashour and Wessam Abou Ali had the best opportunities in the first half, with Chaine standing between them and the opener. The Buccaneers were able to cling on amid the pressure and the two sides went into the break still level.

The second half began with Pirates showing a bit more purpose and they looked to edge ahead four minutes from the restart. This was when Paseka Mako set up Deon Hotto, whose header looped wide. 

The wait for the opener only lasted a further four minutes with Relebohile Mofokeng showing great awareness, following a slip-up at the back. The Bucs attacker pounced on a loose ball inside the box, and made no mistake in converting the chance to make it 1-0 to the visitors.

This spurred the Red Devils on as they sought the equaliser, with Chaine again proving to be the difference as he made another excellent save to keep out a shot from Abou Ali.  Their pursuit for parity however only lasted until the 69th minute as Hussein El Shahat drew them level when he chipped the Bucs keeper after his side had turned possession over following a loose pass down the middle.

Abou Ali and Chaine resumed their battle, with the shot-stopper coming out tops once more a minute after the goal. The Buccaneers meanwhile looked to catch the hosts out on the counter while bombarded by frequent attacks at the back.

They did manage to restore their lead, and it was against the run of play with three players who had just been introduced all involved in the goal. This was when Kabelo Dlamini delivered a cross from the left flank into the box, met by Tshegofatso Mabasa whose header crashed into the crossbar. Gilberto was on hand to make the most of the rebound as he headed in from close range for his first competitive goal in Pirates colours.

With the 1995 champions ahead in the final 10 minutes of regulation time, there was still enough time for the home side to turn things around. They looked to do so through Abou Ali, who dragged his shot narrowly wide in the 88th minute.

Seven minutes of added time meant that Pirates could not afford to try to cruise into the sunset, and it looked as if Rami Rabia had set Al Ahly up for a possible victory when he volleyed into the back of the net deep in injury time. It was however not to be, with the referee spotting an offside in the build-up to the defender’s effort.

That proved to be their last real attempt at the Bucs goal, with the match soon coming to an end. The final whistle sealed an incredible result for Pirates who bagged their fourth win of the group stage as they bagged a famous victory in Cairo.

Pirates XI: Chaine, Sesane, Sibisi, Lebitso (Ndlozi 56’), Mako, Mbatha (Dlamini 77’), Makhaula, Maswanganyi (Rasebotja 77’), Mofokeng, Hotto (Gilberto 80’), Makgopa (Mabasa 80’).

The two African giants are separated by only a single point heading into the encounter with the Buccaneers leading the charge. Meanwhile, the chasing pack –  in the form of Algeria’s CR Belouizdad and Ivorian outfit Stade d’Abidjan – is out of the race.

While the two crucial qualifying slots have been occupied with a game to spare, there is still more than enough motivation for each side to put on a determined effort on the final match day. First place is up for grabs with Pirates also going in with the added incentive of finishing the group stage unbeaten.

This has been echoed by defender Nkosinathi Sibisi, who has led the team out throughout this stage of the competition.

“The team is highly motivated when we go into a game against Al Ahly,” he told orlandopiratesfc.com. “We want to finish the group unbeaten and we’d like to finish at the top of our group. I think that’s our main objective. We’re aiming to get a positive result here in Cairo.”

As one of South Africa’s two representatives in the tournament, the Buccaneers are also the source of national pride. Sibisi believes a positive result against the defending champions, who began the campaign as group favourites, will hold great significance.

“Our main concern is getting a positive result here and hopefully, it will be good enough to finish the group unbeaten,” he said. “That’s our focus and we want to represent our country and make our country proud.”

The highly-anticipated fixture kicks off at 18:00 and will be televised live on SuperSport Variety 54 (209) and SABC 2.

However, any notion that the upcoming clash between the Mighty Buccaneers and the Red Devils is a mere formality would be a gross miscalculation. With the top spot in Group C still up for grabs, this weekend’s match promises to be a high-stakes encounter.

Battle for Group Supremacy

As it stands, Orlando Pirates lead the group with 11 points from five matches, while Al Ahly trail closely behind with 10 points after the same number of matches. This sets the stage for a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday, with both teams vying for the coveted first-place finish.

First or Second?

With both teams competing on multiple fronts in their respective domestic campaigns, one might expect the coaches to rotate their squads to ease the burden of a congested schedule. However, this is highly unlikely given the significance of finishing atop the group.

A first-place finish guarantees a seeded position in the knockout draw, ensuring a clash against a second-placed team from another group. Additionally, the seeded team enjoys the advantage of hosting the decisive second leg in the knockout rounds.

But is this truly an advantage?

Historical trends suggest otherwise. Over the last seven editions of the CAF Champions League, only three champions finished first in their group. The remaining four winners emerged from second place.

Interestingly, the last time Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly crossed paths in this competition was in 2013. Both teams advanced from Group A, which also included Egyptian giants Zamalek and AC Leopards. That year, they met again in the final, adding another layer of intrigue to this storied rivalry.

As we prepare for this pivotal encounter, here’s an in-depth preview of what fans can expect.

Current Form (Last Five Matches): W–W–W–L-D

Al Ahly enters this match in fine form, having secured a 2-0 victory over El Gouna in the Egyptian Premier League on Wednesday. Star man Emam Ashour scored both goals, showcasing his importance to the team.

The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last three matches across all competitions, scoring seven goals and conceding just two in the process.

Home Fortress

Under Marcel Koller, Al Ahly have been formidable at home, remaining undefeated across all competitions this season.

Of the matches that they have played at home, Ahly have scored 23 goals and only conceded 6 times. And in the Champions League its 10 goals scored and only 3 goals conceded in the matches against Stade d’Abidjan (4-2) and CR Belouizdad (6-1).

Stats Corner

• Chance Creation (1st): Al Ahly lead the competition, creating 10.8 chances per game.

• Expected Goals (2nd): They boast an impressive xG of 1.69, trailing only ES Tunis (1.72). Orlando Pirates are third with 1.33.

• Shots (1st): Al Ahly average 14 shots per game, the highest in the tournament, nearly double the total of 16th-placed FC Rabat (7.8). Pirates rank 6th.

• Shots on Target: Ahly top this category too, averaging 6.8 shots on target per match, compared to Pirates’ 4.4 (3rd place).

• Key Contributors: Emam Ashour and Wessam Abou Ali account for 50% of Al Ahly’s shots, with Ashour averaging 4 shots per game and Ali 3.5.

Key Players

Emam Ashour

The 26-year-old attacking midfielder is Al Ahly’s talisman. Despite disciplinary issues earlier this season that led to his suspension, Ashour has rebounded spectacularly. He’s the creative heartbeat of the team, contributing four goals in the CAF Champions League and 12 goal involvements across 16 matches in all competitions.

Marwan Attia

If Ashour is the heart of Al Ahly, Marwan Attia is the brain. At 26, the midfield maestro exhibits a level of composure reminiscent of a young Luka Modrić. Capable of orchestrating play from deep, dribbling past opponents, or scoring key goals, Attia is a complete package.

His passing numbers underline his importance, ranking second among midfielders in the tournament with 62 completed passes per match, just behind Sundowns’ Teboho Mokoena (64).

With so much at stake, this promises to be a thrilling contest. Al Ahly will look to leverage their home advantage and attacking firepower, while Orlando Pirates aim to cement their dominance atop Group C. The tactical battle on Saturday will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of both teams’ campaigns in the CAF Champions League.

After nearly a decade since their last encounter, the Buccaneers and the Red Devils locked horns in what was an eagerly-awaited clash. It was a battle for supremacy in their group after both sides had raced to claim the top two spots in the previous game week.

The sellout crowd was however made to wait before finding something to shout about with the first half consisting of very few real chances at either goal. Pirates’ efforts at making the most of their home-ground advantage met a determined effort from the visitors who strictly manned their defensive lines.

The hosts looked to break them off through a succession of set pieces as the break approached. They were however unable to make the most of their chances as the defending champions managed to see out the storm.

A few close calls fell to Pirates moments before the break. Both were from Monnapule Saleng who fired inches wide with a speculative shot from outside the penalty area before knocking the ball straight to Al Ahly goalkeeper Mohamed El Shenawy after he released inside the box.

He continued to take the game to the North Africans in the second half when he managed to find a way past El Shenawy, who had left his line to attempt a save. The scoreboard was however unaffected with the shot from the Bucs attacker lacking the necessary power to cause any significant problems.

This set the tone for a second period played with more lively tempo as the Buccaneers swiftly made their way deep into opposition territory 10 minutes after the restart. This attack led to a near miss from Thalente Mbatha who drove a shot at goal from outside the box, missing the target by mere inches.

Despite the evident shift in pace at both ends of the field, the two keepers remained largely spared from pressure. They each had to make a pretty straightforward stop with Pirates shot stopper Sipho Chaine equal to the task following an Al Ahly set piece while El Shenawy was also comfortable in dealing with an attempt from Evidence Makgopa.

Bucs attacker Relebohile Mofokeng did manage to make the Egyptian international sweat after the hour mark when he got on the end of a cross from Deon Hotto. There was however no change to the scoreline as the experienced keeper managed to keep out the youngster’s effort.

A desperate search for a late winner saw the visitors sparking a few opportunities for themselves in the game’s dying moments. The best of these came from replacement midfielder Hussein El Shahat who was able to connect with one inside the Buccaneers’ penalty area, forcing Chaine to his right as he produced a crucial save with not much time left on the clock.

The contest continued at a frantic pace with the final whistle just moments away, but the home side failed to connect inside the attacking third while Chaine kept them in it with another important stop from a set piece. No goals were forthcoming in the end as the two sides completed their third Champions League stalemate at Orlando Stadium.

Pirates XI: Chaine, Sesane, Sibisi, Van Rooyen, Mako, Makhaula (Timm 81’), Mbatha (Dlamini 81’), Mofokeng, Saleng, Hotto (Nkota 69’), Makgopa (Mabasa 69’).

It promises to be another thrilling chapter in a list of key battles between two sides that have previously lifted the biggest trophy in African club football. The Egyptians head into the encounter as defending champions, having recently bagged a record 12th title, while the home side look to strengthen their challenge for a second triumph in the prestigious competitions.

Form Guide

Both sides had a winning start to their group stage campaign and currently occupy the top two spots in Group C. The Red Devils are higher up in the standings after beating Ivorian outfit Stade d’Abidjan 4-2 in Cairo to go clear on goal difference.

They played to league stalemates on either side of their clash against the West African outfit, drawing 1-1 at home against Al Ittihad before earning another league point in a goalless stalemate away to National Bank. Their two recent Premier League results are among the very few blemishes to their season thus far, following a near-perfect start where they added another Egyptian Super Cup title plus a CAF Super Cup triumph to their glowing trophy cabinet.

Al Ahly now head into the match against Pirates unbeaten in their five most recent outings, where they have claimed three victories along with their two league draws. They take on a side determined to bounce back from a disappointing result in their last fixture.

Following a remarkable 2-1 win away to CR Belouizdad in their Group C opener, the Buccaneers slumped to a narrow defeat at home to domestic rivals Stellenbosch last Sunday. It was their first loss in the league this season and resulted in them dropping from first to second place in the standings.  It also ended a streak of five straight victories and was their second home defeat across competitions this season.

Like the visiting North Africans, the Soweto Giants have had a taste of cup success in the 2024/25 campaign. They will be eager to enhance their chances of claiming the biggest prize available to them this season by producing a performance that will place them in pole position for a spot in the knockouts.

Team News

There have been some key absentees throughout the season in both camps. Midfield pair Karim Nedved and Karim Fouad are both yet to feature for the visitors since the start of the ongoing campaign, while Egyptian international Emam Ashour could return after a short suspension.

Pirates have had similar injury issues, with the likes of Zakhele Lepasa and Goodman Mosele still on the mend. Coach Jose Riveiro has however confirmed  that he has up to 36 fit squad members at his disposal, and the number includes players such as Thabiso Lebitso and Sandile Mthethwa who have been working their way back to match fitness over the past few weeks.

Players to Watch

With vast Champions League experience, Taher Mohamed will be one of the key men for the visitors as he comes into the clash in good form. The winger has had a hand in crucial goals in domestic and continental football, along with Palestinian international forward Wessam Abou Ali.

Bafana international forward Percy Tau is also among their notable goal-scoring threats while the Egyptians boast a number of reliable impact players elsewhere on the field in the likes of fullback Yahya Allah – a solid presence at both ends of the pitch. Experienced shot-stopper Mohammed El-Shenawy leads from between the sticks and has kept clean sheets in five of his nine club appearances this season.

Head-to-Head

Drawn in the same group for the first time since the 2013 edition of the Champions League where they eventually went on to contest the final, Pirates and Al Ahly are well acquainted. They have met a total of six times with the majority of their clashes occurring in the knockout stages of the two major continental interclub tournaments.

The Buccaneers currently sport a comfortable lead in terms of head-to-head results with three wins to the Red Devils’ solitary victory, which sealed the 2013 title. Things are a lot tighter as far as the Champions League is concerned with each side boasting a single win in their four matches.

The Soweto Giants are yet to claim a home victory against the Egyptians in the continents’ premier club competition, with their only triumph at Orlando Stadium coming in the 2015 Confed Cup semifinals where they secured a win in each of the two legs.

TV Coverage and Ticket Info

Kick-off is at 15:00 and the match will be broadcast on SABC 3, SuperSport Variety 4 (209) while a live stream is also available on SABC+ . You can also keep up with the action by following live updates posted across Orlando Pirates social media channels.

Tickets to attend the match are sold out.

The next closest clubs, TP Mazembe and Zamalek, have five titles each. Orlando Pirates, though absent from the continental showpiece in recent seasons, boast a rich history in this competition when it comes to clashes between these two sides. Meetings between the Buccaneers and Al Ahly have often been tightly contested and judging by the form of both teams in their opening matches, fans on opposite ends of the continent can expect another thrilling encounter.

Both teams currently sit on three points after their respective opening fixtures. Pirates earned a hard-fought 2-1 away victory against CR Belouizdad, while Al Ahly emerged as 4-2 victors against Stade d’Abidjan. As we gear up for this weekend’s encounter, here is an in-depth look at what the Mighty Buccaneers can expect on Saturday.

Head-to-Head

With Al Ahly topping the table on goal difference, Orlando Pirates could seize first place with a victory. Historically, the head-to-head record between these teams has been closely contested. Out of six encounters, the Buccaneers have claimed three wins, with two draws, while Al Ahly have managed just one victory—a significant one at that.

The two sides contested the 2013 CAF Champions League Final over two legs. The first leg, held at Orlando Stadium, ended in a 1-1 draw. In the second leg, the Red Devils, as they are affectionately known, secured a 2-0 win thanks to goals from Egyptian legend Mohamed Aboutrika. Despite the scoreline, the match was tightly contested, with the Buccaneers squandering key opportunities in the first half that could have altered the outcome of the match.

Current Form (Last 5 Matches): W–W-D-W-D

Al Ahly are a team that competes on many fronts. They don’t only compete in the Caf Champions League and the Egyptian Premier league. Over the past month and a half, the reigning champions have also participated in the CAF Super Cup and the FIFA World Club Cup. Of their last five competitive matches, Marcel Koller’s men have won three times and drawn twice. Scoring 11 goals and conceding 5 goals.

Key Players

Emam Ashour (26 Years Old)

If Emam Ashour features in the match on Saturday, then there is no doubt that that he will be one of the key players for the visitors. We use the word “if” because the 26-year-old has struggled with disciplinary issues off the field.

Recently, the midfielder was suspended after clashing with the team captain. However, if recent reports are anything to go by, Ashour will be part of the traveling contingent after apologising to his teammates for his misdemeanour.

Yahya Allah (29 Years Old)

The Moroccan international is currently on loan at Ahly from Russian club Socci. He is a very competent full back who provides the additional attacking threat with his marauding runs down the left flank. Yahya, along with his teammate Khaled Fattah who plays right full back, are key in providing width for Ahly to allow the likes of El Shahat and Taher Mohamed to tuck in and play in the half spaces.

Hussein El Shahat (32 Years Old)

Although El Shahat has had a slow start to the season, his quality and influence in the attack are undeniable. Playing as a right-footed attacker on the left flank, he benefits from the overlapping runs of Yahya Allah, giving him the freedom to cut inside and create scoring opportunities. El Shahat has a reputation for delivering crucial goals when it matters most.

Strengths
• Defensive Fortress

Sir Alex Ferguson once famously said: “Attack wins you games but defence wins you titles”, this statement cannot be any truer for Al Ahly. The defending champions, are miserly in defence and that is hugely due to the experience of the defence. Anchored by the experienced El Shenawy in goal and the central defensive pairing of Ramy Rabia and Yasser Ibrahim, the Red Devils are a tough nut to crack. Notably, they navigated the knockout stages of the 2023 CAF Champions League without conceding a single goal. This season, the only blemish has been the two goals conceded against Stade d’Abidjan.

• Game Management

Al Ahly’s primary strength lies in their ability to read the game and focus on securing the result.Ordinarily,the Red Devils prefer a dominant possession focused style of play. Their midfielders, such as Ashour, Mohamed Magdy and Marwan Attia, are skilled at maintaining control of the ball, dictating the pace of the game, and creating opportunities for their forwards.

This ability to control the game through possession puts constant pressure on their opponents and minimises the time the opposition has to mount their own attacks. However, due to the maturity of the team – often, when Ahly plays away, the team opts for a more cautious approach which includes slowing down the game, breaking play and sometimes a transitional type of game.