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Pirates back in Egypt after nine year absence

football17 January 2025 07:10| © Mzansi Football
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Pirates @ Gallo Images

Orlando Pirates play in Egypt for a sixth time in the club’s history on Saturday when they battle African Champions League holders Al Ahly in Cairo for top place in Group C.

It is the last group game for both clubs, who have both made sure of a top two finish in the standings and a berth in the quarterfinals in March.

It just over nine years since the Buccaneers were last in Cairo, upsetting Ahly 4-3 in the second leg of their African Confederation Cup semifinal to advance to the final 5-3 on aggregate.

Pirates had a slender 1-0 lead from the home leg and were 2-0 down in the return in Suez before scoring four times in the second half through Kermit Erasmus, Thamsanqa Gabuza, Thabo Matlaba and the winner five minutes into stoppage time from Thabo Rakhale.

They also beat Al Ahly 3-0 away in the Champions League group competition in 2013, which remains the heaviest home defeat that the Egyptian giants have ever suffered in continental club competition.

The game was played in the seaside town of El Gouna and saw Thandani Ntshumayelo, Andile Jali (penalty) and Sifiso Myeni score in a shock triumph for Roger de Sa’s side.

But Ahly got their revenge when the two clubs met again in the second leg of the final five months later, which Al Ahly won 2-0 to take the trophy 3-1 on aggregate.

Pirates’ other two trips to Egypt have been to face Zamalek, also in the 2013 group stages of the Champions League which they lost 2-1 and in the group stages of the 2015 Confederation Cup where they lost 4-1. Neither defeats, however, stopped Pirates from progressing to finish runners-up in both competitions.

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