Horoya defeat Pirates, move into final eight

by Staff Reporter

Saturday Mar 16, 2019. 20:36

Horoya AC have advanced into the final eight of the CAF Champions League after they defeated Orlando Pirates 2-0 at the Stade du 28 Septembre in Conakry on Saturday evening.

The Buccaneers needed to win in Guinea to have any chance of advancing from Group B, while HAC have finished second in the pool behind Esperance de Tunis and join the North African heavyweights in the quarterfinals.

Horoya enjoyed early dominance and nearly claimed the lead inside the opening minutes when Ocansey Mandela shot for goal from long range, but saw his effort strike outside of goalkeeper Wayne Sandilands’ left-hand post.

Pirates suffered a blow when midfielder Xola Mlambo limped off with an injury midway through the first half, but the visitors used it as a chance to be more attack-minded as they put on forward Augustine Mulenga as a replacement.

Horoya also made a change inside the first half when Boubacar Samassekou replaced Hamed Assoko, and the substitute’s first touch was a free header from a corner kick which he put wide of the target after coming on in the 38th minute.

The match remained locked at 0-0 until 11 minutes in the second half, when Abdoulaye Paye Camara sent home a left-footed shot to break the deadlock and put Horoya in the lead.

The Guinea hosts doubled their advantage in the 73rd minute, with Boniface Haba taking advantage of some space in the Pirates defence to send another ball beyond the reach of Sandilands and effectively kill off the visitors’ hopes.

The Buccaneers at least netted a consolation through Justin Shonga in added time, but it did nothing to prevent their exit from the premier continental competition.

Horoya AC (0) 2 (A.P. Camara 56’, Haba 73’)
Orlando Pirates (0) 1 (Shonga 90+1’)

Horoya: N’Diaye, Nikiema, A.P. Camara, Assoko (Samassekou 38’), Yakubu, Simeon Sakin, Asante, Al. Camara, Mandela (Fofana 90+5’), Haba (Menash 89’), Wonkoye


Pirates: Sandilands, Motshwari, Jele, Ndengane, Maela, Lorch (Mpho 75’), Nyatama, Mlambo (Mulenga 23’), Memela, Mahachi (Shonga 60’), Gabuza