South African giants Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs set for crucial CAF away tests
CAF Champions League and Confederation Cup
Four PSL clubs — Pirates, Chiefs, Sundowns, and Stellenbosch — face crucial away fixtures as CAF club competitions resume. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Image: Itumeleng English/Independent Media
Four PSL teams — Orlando Pirates, Mamelodi Sundowns, Kaizer Chiefs, and Stellenbosch FC — will resume their journeys in the CAF club competitions next week, all playing away matches that could define their continental aspirations.
It will be history in the making as both Chiefs and Pirates set out on their first joint overseas venture, heading to the bustling city of Lubumbashi in the DRC for their CAF club competition second-round ties. They will play at the same venue, on different days.
For Pirates, their journey will see them face St Eloi Lupopo on Saturday. Lupopo recently knocked out Sudanese side Al Merrikh, securing a surprising goalless draw in Libya after a wobbly first leg in Lubumbashi.
Pirates are gearing up to relive their glory days in the African Champions League and will look to build on their recent form as they take on the local challengers. Lupopo, although overshadowed by illustrious neighbours TP Mazembe, pose a credible threat with their recent performances and home advantage.
On Sunday, Kaizer Chiefs will tackle AS Simba, a team making their continental competition debut. Simba, from Kolwezi, 300 km from Lubumbashi, showcased a spirited display against Djabal of Comoros to reach this stage. As Chiefs make the trip, eyes will be on them to set a powerful tone early in the competition and assert their dominance in a venue that will serve as a neutral ground for their opponents.
The return legs for these matches will be played over the weekend of 24–26 October, setting the stage for dramatic football as South African clubs aim to establish their prowess on the continent.
Stellenbosch FC travel to Equatorial Guinea, where they face 15 de Agosto de Akonibe in the CAF Confederation Cup. This first-leg match is on Saturday at the Estadio de Ebibeyin — an essential outing for the club as they look to carve out their footprint in African club football.
Adding further intrigue to the weekend’s fixtures, Mamelodi Sundowns, last season’s semi-finalists, will be in Nigeria to face Remo Stars at the MKO Abiola International Stadium in Ogun on Sunday.
As one of the strongest contenders in African football, Sundowns will aim to leverage their experience and tactical finesse to secure a favourable result in this continental clash.