Staff Reporter.
Orlando Pirates technical team member Franck Plaine has announced his departure following Pirates CAF Confederations Cup clash with ES Setif.
Plaine was the club’s strength and conditioning coach at the Soweto giants for the past three years.
He joined Pirates in 2018, a year after the arrival of then coach Micho Sredojevic and Rhulani Mokwena.
“My time at Orlando Pirates has come to an end. One door shut, another one opens! I want thank Orlando Pirates for the opportunity to work with one of the biggest clubs in Africa, thank all collaborators and management of OPFC, thank all players and fans. I felt part of the family,” wrote Plaine on his Twitter account.
Meanwhile of the eight matches scattered across the African continent, seven ended in home wins while Orlando Pirates held ES Setif to 0-0 draw in neutral Accra, Ghana.
The Buccaneers were forced into an early change as Richard Ofori was stretchered off the field with a reported groin injury and he will now be a doubt for Ghana’s match against South Africa later this month.
In the end, a match of little noteworthy chances ended in a goalless stalemate to leave both teams on a point in Group A after one round of fixtures, two behind Enyimba who beat Al Ahly Benghazi in Aba.
Defending champions RS Berkane got their campaign up and running with a 2-0 win over NAPSA Stars in Morocco while JS Kabylie scored an 88th-minute winner to down 10-man Cotonsport 1-0.
Record three-time winners CS Sfaxien edged past Salitas 1-0 in Sfax courtesy of a second-half Aymen Harzi penalty. Their Group C rivals and two-time champions Etoile du Sahel defeated Jaraaf 2-0 to leave the two Tunisian clubs level on three points in Group C.
In Group D, Moroccon giants Raja Casablanca edged past Tanzania’s Namungo – who also had a man sent off – 1-0 while last season’s runners-up Pyramids FC thumped Nkana 3-0 in the biggest win of the day.
CAF Confederations Cup Results:
Enyimba 2-1 Al Ahly Benghazi
Sfaxien 1-0 Salitas
Etoile du Sahel 2-0 Jaraaf
Pyramids FC 3-0 Nkana
Raja Casablanca 1-0 Namungo
RS Berkane 2-0 NAPSA Stars
ES Setif 0-0 Orlando Pirates
JS Kabylie 1-0 Cotonsport.