Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs will face DR Congo opponents in their respective CAF Champions League and CAF Confederation Cup second preliminary round assignments.
Both the Soweto giants are bidding to get to the group phase of the continental inter-club competitions. Chiefs are back in Africa after reaching the Champions League final of the 2020/21 season, where they lost to Al Ahly.
But they are now competing in the second-tier of continental club football, the Confederation Cup, after winning last season’s Nedbank Cup. To reach the second preliminary round, they knocked out Angolan side Kabuscorp SCP after losing 1-0 away before winning 1-0 at home and finally progressing through 5-4 on penalties.
Pirates, on the other hand, breezed past Lioli FC, first posting a 3-0 victory on the road before easing 4-0 at Orlando Stadium for an impressive 7-0 aggregate win. The Buccaneers were Champions League semi-finalists last season, losing to eventual winners Pyramids FC of Egypt.
Expectations are high on them to reach the final of the competition they last won in 1995. Abdeslam Ouaddou leads that responsibility and his tenure so far looks promising after claiming the MTN8 and the Ghost are currently on an eight-match winning streak without conceding a goal.
WHO ARE CHIEFS AND PIRATES’ OPPONENTS?
Chiefs face Congolese side AS Simba, who are not a big name in Africa. They visit their opponents, who are using TP Mazembe Stadium in Lubumbashi on October 17 for the first-leg, before hosting the team from Kolwezi seven days later, deciding who will go to the group stage.
AS Simba booked the ticket to play against Amakhosi following a 1-0 home victory over Comorian outfit Djabal d’Iconi FC, before a 2-0 away win to sail through 3-0 on aggregate. Both legs were staged at TP Mazembe Stadium as Djabal do not have a FIFA-approved stadium in the Comoros.
Pirates will also head to Lubumbashi, but at the Stade Frederic Kibassa Maliba to face FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo for the first leg of their second preliminary round on October 18. They will then welcome the Lupopo at home on October 25.
The Congolese side sent a warning to Pirates after eliminating Sudanese giants Al Merrikh with a 1-0 first-leg win and a 0-0 draw on the road.
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