De Sa offers tactical insights for Pirates to overcome Al Ahly
Former Orlando Pirates head coach Roger De Sa has offered his ex-club a tactical insight to overcome Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League.
The Buccaneers will face Al Ahly at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, 07 December 2024 [15h00]. The Houghton-based side is drawn in Group C of the Champions League alongside the Red Devils, CR Belouizdad, and Stade d’Abidjan.
Pirates have already claimed an impressive 2-0 win against CR Belouizdad in the first match of the group stages last week.
Before securing a spot in the group stages, the Buccaneers defeated Disciples FC in the first preliminary round 4-0 on aggregate. In the second preliminary round, the Soweto giants beat Jwaneng Galaxy 3-0 over two legs.
In last season’s Champions League showpiece, Galaxy eliminated Pirates from the same stage of the competition after winning 5-4 on penalties.
With the 1995 CAF Champions League winners aiming to make it to the knockout stages, De Sa has advised Pirates on how to defeat the defending champions Al Ahly, who possess the most significant threat.
In his experience of facing the Red Devils in the group stages in 2013 as Pirates mentor, the experienced coach beat the Egyptian giants 3-0 in their own backyards with goals by Andile Jali, Thandani Ntshumayelo, and Sifiso Myeni. The return leg saw the two teams share the spoils with a 0-0 scoreline at Orlando Stadium.
WHAT DID ROGER DE SA SAY ABOUT PIRATES’ TIE AGAINST AL AHLY?
Although Roger De Sa went on to lose in the final against Al Ahly in the same season, the 60-year-old says Orlando Pirates have the potential to beat Ahly if they play their dominant possession-based football.
“Look, I think you just need to develop your own way of playing and play your own way; don’t try to play the way Al Ahly plays,” Roger De Sa told FARPost.
“If you check when we beat them back in 2013, we had very good players like Sifiso Myeni, Andile Jali and other great players. We managed to unlock Ahly through our players’ ability to dribble past defenders and play in short spaces.
“So I think Pirates need to use their skill and pace to play the attacking football. I know Pirates play a very open game, they might concede two goals but they’ll try to score three. It will be a tough game for Al Ahly if Pirates are on tune.”
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