Staff Reporter.
Orlando Pirates will be looking to get their CAF Confederation Cup campaign back on track when they take on Royal Leopards at the Mbombela Stadium on Sunday evening.
Kick-off is at 6pm CAT (SA, GMT+2)
The clash was moved to Mbombela due to the facilities at the Mavuso Sports Centre in Eswatini being deemed inadequate, although the Buccaneers are still seen as the away team despite playing on home soil.
Pirates are second in Group B after collecting three points from their opening two games in Africa’s second-tier club competition.
The Soweto giants kicked things off in the group stages with a 2-0 win over JS Saoura at the Orlando Stadium on matchday one courtesy of goals from Happy Jele and Bandile Shandu.
However, they suffered a setback last weekend against Al Ittihad, who ran out 3-2 victors in Libya to move into pole position, having played one fixture less than Bucs.
Pirates co-coach Mandla Ncikazi admits they need to improve in defence after conceding three goals which he felt could have been prevented.
“We conceded bad goals, bad goals that we shouldn’t concede,” Ncikazi told the media on Sunday. “[It was] a good tactical plan from the coach, sitting on a block and coming out on the counter. We couldn’t break out the block.”
Ingwe Mabalabala are bottom of the group following a 2-0 defeat to the Eagles on matchday two. Their opener against Al Ittihad was postponed as a result of their second-leg tie with JS Kabylie in play-offs being pushed back due to Covid-19.
Edwin Matsebula’s side qualified for the group stages after knocking out the Lions of Djurdjura, who were runners-up in the CAF Confederation Cup last season.
Matsebula suggested Leopards were unfortunate not to get something from their match against the Libyan club, whose two goals came from the penalty spot.
“Those two goals they scored were both penalties and they dived to get those goals. In fact JS Kabylie are stronger than JS Saoura,” he said.