Resilient Pirates keep a clean sheet against MC Alger

by Staff Reporter

Wednesday Apr 09, 2025. 20:24

Orlando Pirates withstood late pressure from MC Alger to book their place in the CAF Champions League semi-finals following a 0-0 draw in the second leg of their quarter-final tie at the Orlando Stadium on Wednesday, April 9.

Buccaneers head coach Jose Riveiro said in the build-up to the game that he expected his team to suffer on home soil and they did, but another resilient performance saw them keep a fourth clean sheet in Africa this season to eliminate El Mouloudia 1-0 on aggregate.

The visitors had the majority of the possession in the opening stages as they pinned Pirates inside their own half, but the first chance came at the other end when Deon Hotto unleashed a shot that flew just wide of Toufik Moussaoui’s goal on 10 minutes.

MC Alger then threatened twice in the space of three minutes, with Zakaria Naidji pouncing on a loose ball and firing across the face of goal on 17 minutes before Sipho Chaine denied Mohamed Bangoura in a one-on-one situation after the Guinean striker latched onto a long pass.

Mohau Nkota should perhaps have done better moments later when he failed to even test Moussaoui after finding himself in a pocket in space.

However, neither team managed to create any further openings for the remainder of the first half as they went into the break still deadlocked at 0-0.

The crowd was treated to far more goalmouth action in the second half and Ayoub Abdellaoui went close from a corner on 54 minutes which he headed wide at the back post.

Tapelo Xoki found himself in an advanced position 11 minutes later and decided to try his luck from just outside the box, only to see his shot drift wide of the goal.

Patrick Maswanganyi looked to make impact soon after his introduction from the bench in the 70th minute with an effort from range that at least drew a save out of Moussaoui.

The hosts survived a couple of late scares when Abdelkader Menezla had two attempts on goal in the space of just two minutes.The substitute lacked composure as he lifted the ball over the crossbar on 86 minutes after finding himself in space and he steered a header straight at a relieved Chaine in the 88th minute.

Khaled Ben Yahia’s side continued to pile on the pressure in the final few minutes, but Tshegofatso Mabasa almost won it for Pirates in stoppage time when he struck the frame of the goal from close range.

In the end the away goal Nkota scored in the first leg was enough to see the Soweto giants through to the penultimate stage of Africa’s elite club competition, the first time they had done so since winning the trophy in 2013.

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