Orlando Pirates don’t have much time for licking their wounds after last weekend’s 3-0 drubbing by Saint-Eloi Lupopo.
Not one but two clutch games are coming in quick succession, and both could shape the tone of their season.
The Buccaneers’ flying start came crushing down in Lubumbashi, where their hosts ran riot in the CAF Champions League second-round preliminary first leg.
NEW WEEK FOR ORLANDO PIRATES
Before the Lupopo shock, Abdeslam Ouaddou’s side looked unstoppable. Eleven wins from 14 games across all competitions, only two losses, and a watertight defence boasting seven clean sheets.
They had lifted the MTN8 trophy in September with a 3-0 demolition of Stellenbosch FC, and Ouaddou even became the first coach in Bucs’ history to win eight matches in a row.
But football can be a humbler. And now, the Soweto giants need a strong response.
The comeback mission starts on Wednesday night at the Orlando Stadium, where they’ll host Polokwane City in the Betway Premiership at 19:30.
Amabhakabhaka currently sit third on the log, six points behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, but with three games in hand. Rise and Shine, meanwhile, are ninth after four wins, three draws, and two losses.
The teams already met this season in the MTN8 quarterfinals, a 2-0 victory for Pirates thanks to goals from Oswin Appollis and Patrick Maswanganyi, also at Orlando.
LUPOPO IN SOWETO
Then, just two days later, comes the big one. Saint-Eloi Lupopo arrive in Soweto for the second leg on Saturday, 25 October at 15:00. To reach the group stages, Orlando Pirates must win 4-0, or at least 3-0 to force penalties.
It’s a tall order, but not impossible. The Buccaneers have pulled off that exact scoreline twice before in this competition: a 4-0 over Madagascar’s Disciples FC last season and another 4-0 against Lesotho’s Lioli FC in September. Both happened at home.
Both of those big wins came at the Orlando Stadium, with the latter marking Ouaddou’s biggest victories in his coaching career.
He also enjoyed a 4-1 win over Durban City while at Marumo Gallants in the Nedbank Cup last season, showing his teams can score freely. September alone brought two 3-0 victories, one over Chippa United and another over Stellenbosch FC in the MTN8 final.
Also read: Former Chiefs star: ‘Appollis did me dirty at training’