Orlando Pirates have been handed a major boost in their bid to reach the CAF Champions League group stages.
The Buccaneers will face African Stars in the next round of the competition, with the Namibian side set to use the Lucas Moripe Stadium as their home venue.
That means Pirates will not have to travel outside South Africa for the away leg, giving them a significant advantage ahead of the two-legged tie.
With the matches scheduled for October, Pirates should also have the majority of their squad available by then.
The Buccaneers currently have several players on the injury list, including Thalente Mbatha and Gamphani Lungu. However, with another month to recover, Abdeslam Ouaddou could have a much stronger and more experienced squad at his disposal when the CAF Champions League preliminary round arrives.
Why Pirates have the advantage in CAF Champions League
African Stars playing their home leg in Pretoria could work heavily in Pirates’ favour.
The Buccaneers will only have to make a roughly 45-minute trip to the Lucas Moripe Stadium for what is technically their away fixture. They are also familiar with the venue, having played there during the previous season.
The conditions should therefore be less of a challenge for Pirates compared to travelling to Namibia and adapting to a different environment.
There will also be an interesting storyline involving Deon Hotto, who will come up against his former club African Stars.
The Namibian side have already shown that they are capable of competing at the venue, securing an impressive 2-0 victory over Gabonese side AS Mangasport at the Lucas Moripe Stadium.
Pirates will therefore need to remain focused despite their obvious CAF CL advantages.
If the Buccaneers can get past African Stars, they will secure their place in the CAF Champions League group stages for the second time in three years.
