Orlando Pirates advanced to the semifinals of the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League after holding MC Alger to a goalless draw on Wednesday evening in Soweto, securing a 1-0 victory on aggregate following their win in Algiers last week.
A packed and vocal Orlando Stadium witnessed a hard-fought battle between the two teams, as they matched each other in every department throughout the highly tactical encounter.
Despite playing at home, Pirates coach Jose Riveiro adopted a more cautious approach to protect his slender lead, thanks to Mohau Nkota’s away goal in Algiers.
As expected, the visitors pressed the former champions into their own half from the opening whistle. However, the Buccaneers, with a strong defensive line led by captain Tapelo Xoki, managed to keep their opponents at bay.
After the break, Pirates adopted a more offensive strategy by introducing fresh legs to inject much-needed firepower up front. Substitute Patrick Maswanganyi was unfortunate not to score after he skillfully cut inside and unleashed a powerful shot that was well saved by Abdelatif Ramdan.
Another substitute, Tshegofatso Mabasa, almost put the game beyond reach in the 90th minute when he pounced on a loose ball and sent a strike that hit the frame of the goal, much to his disappointment.
Although the visitors continued to probe for opportunities, they lacked the final touch necessary to break through the Pirates’ defense.
This result sees the 1995 champions complete the semifinals lineup, setting up a clash with Egyptian side Pyramids FC.
