Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly will renew their old rivalry when they meet in the highly-anticipated Caf Champions League sold-out affair this weekend.
The Clash of the Titans is scheduled for the historic Orlando Stadium on Saturday at 15:00.
Before the Pirates’ long absence from the Champions League, the two clubs enjoyed a massive rivalry, having met seven times.
Their clashes used to be branded as the South versus North derby. But the Buccaneers have since been replaced by Mamelodi Sundowns, who have been constant features in the tournament over the past several years, in the fixture.
Betting odds
Ahly are slight favourites to win the match at Orlando Stadium, but looking at their history on South African soil, backing the Sea Robbers for a victory or choosing a draw won’t be a terrible choice.
The match is unlikely to produce too many goals but both sides are likely to score a goal, so punters can also go for options such as both teams to score at 21/20.
Head to Betway to place your bet.
18/10 Pirates | Draw 17/10 | Al Ahly 16/10
Can Al Ahly finally get a win in South Africa?
The Egyptian giants have been a dominant force for years in African football. A testament to that is their 12 unmatched Champions League titles.
However, the Red Devils are frustrated by their inability to win a match in South Africa.
Ahly played a whopping 15 matches on South African soil where they drew eight times and lost seven times.
Three of the 15 matches were against Pirates with two ending in draws and the other ending in a victory for the hosts.
The North Africans have struggled to adjust to the hot weather conditions in Mzansi which makes it very difficult for them to perform “to the best of their abilities”.
But they will be confident in knowing that the current Pirates squad doesn’t have much experience in the Champions League as they haven’t been part of it for a few years.
Also, the Sea Robbers will draw confidence from their opening match of Group C where they went to Algeria and returned home with maximum points against strong CR Belouizdad.
Pirates have some extremely talented players while Ahly have a strong reputation and some of the best stars on the African continent. This is a clash not to be missed.
Head-to-head
04/10/15: CCC – Al Ahly 3–4 Orlando Pirates
26/09/15: CCC – Orlando Pirates 1–0 Al Ahly
10/11/13: CCL – Al Ahly 2–0 Orlando Pirates
02/11/13: CCL – Orlando Pirates 1–1 Al Ahly
22/09/13: CCL – Orlando Pirates 0–0 Al Ahly
How to watch
The match will be televised on SuperSport Channel 202 including a build-up that will start 30 minutes before the 15:00 kick-off.
SABC Sport will carry the game live on their SABCSport.com streaming platform, while there will be commentary on the public’s broadcaster’s different radio stations.
Players to watch
After his unbelievable debut against Beluoizdad a fortnight ago, youngster Mohau Nkota will be expected to try to repeat his heroics when they face Ahly.
The 20-year-old star scored a stunning brace to announce himself on the continental stage.
He was assisted by his partner in crime, Relebohile Mofokeng, on both occasions. Mofokeng is another player the Ghosts will rely on to get the better of the African champions.
Thabiso Sesane and Nkosinathi Sibisi will be expected to work overtime to shield Sipho Chaine from Ahly attackers.
For the Red Devils, players include Hussein El Shahat, who is one of the most experienced players in the team with four Champions League titles, and Yahya Allah who is on loan from Russian club Socci.
El Shahat plays a key role in Ahly’s attack from the wing while Allah is a serious threat from the left back.
