Tendai Makaripe
A hard fought nil all draw was all South African giants Orlando Pirates needed to progress to the semi finals of the CAF Champions league tournament after Zamalek beat AC Leopards 4-1 in El Gouna, Egypt.
Pirates therefore finish the group in second position behind Al Ahly.
Orlando Pirates
The 1995 African champions took to the field against Al Ahly on Sunday afternoon at Orlando Stadium needing a win to be top of the group, but had to settle for second spot after the goalless draw.
Pirates will meet Tunisian giants Esperance in a mouth watering clash on October 4-6 in the semi-final, first leg, while Al Ahly are up against Coton Sport of Cameroon but De Sa says he is ready for any opponent.
We’ve done the country proud and qualified for a change!”
“That’s how it is. We will keep on going,” he says.
The hopes of Southern Africa are once again pinned on Pirates who are desperate to restore the olden glory days which led them to be crowned 1995 champions after dismissing Ghana’s Asec Mimosa.
Although only two North African teams had ever won the title before 1981 – Egypt’s Ismaily in 1969, and Algeria’s MC Alger in 1976 – since then, North Africa’s teams have dominated the championship, between them winning the title on no fewer than 22 out of the last 28 tournaments.
Particularly dominant have been the two Egyptian giants and Cairo-based arch-rivals, al Ahly and el Zamalek. The Cairo ‘Red Devils’ (al -Ahly) have won it a record seven occasions- in 1982, 1987, 2001, 2005, 2006, 2008 and 2012; while the Cairo ‘Whites Knights’ (el Zamalek) have taken the honours on no fewer than five occasions – 1984, 1986, 1993, 1996 and 2002.
Another North African team that has made a big impression in this tournament is Morocco’s Raja Casablanca , who has emerged victorious three times – in 1989, 1997 and 1999.
Very few Southern African clubs have done well in this tournament.
Zambia’s Nkana Red devils were the first to make it into the final of the 1990 tournament before succumbing to a 5-3 penalty shootout loss to Algeria’s JS Kabylie.
In 1999 Dynamos Football Club of Zimbabwe made it into the prestigious final but were dismissed albeit under controversial circumstances by Ivory Coast’s Asec Mimosa.
Mamelodi Sundowns of South Africa tried their luck in 2001 but were made to eat humble pie by Egyptian giants and current champions league holders Al Ahly.
It is time for the Rojer Der Saar coached side to rewrite history and march all the way to the final and bring the trophy back to Southern Africa for the first time in nearly two decades.
The CAF Champions League is an annual international club football competition run by the Confederation Of African Football (CAF).
The top club sides from Africa’s football leagues are invited to participate in this competition, which is the premier club football competition on the continent and the equivalent to the UEFA Champions League.
The winner of the tournament earns a berth in the FIFA World Cup, a tournament contested between the champion clubs from all six continental confederations. – News Of The South
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