UKWENZA kahle kwe-Orlando Pirates esigabeni samaqoqo kwiCaf Champions League sekuyifakele ingcindezi yokuqhubeka nomgqigqo eqale ngawo kulo mqhudelwano osufinyelele emzuliswaneni wama-quarterfinal.
IPirates esonge isigaba samaqoqo ingehlulwanga, izotholana phezulu ne-MC Alger yase-Algeria kowomlenze wokuqala wama-quarterfinal eChampions League ngo-Ephreli 1, eStade du 5 Juliet, e-Algeria. Owomlenze wesibili ungo-Ephreli 9, e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
Nakuba zisasalele emuva ngemidlalo emine ezimbangini zazo, iMamelodi Sundowns, embangweni wesicoco seligi yeBetway Premiership, kodwa kubukeka engemaningi amathuba eZimnyama okugudluza amaSandawana esicongweni se-log ngenxa yokwehluleka kwazo ukugcina umgqigqo emidlalweni yazo yePremiership yakamuva.
Ngakho ifomu esayikhombisile kwiChampions League kule sizini, okubalwa nokugoba ompetha abavikela isicoco, i-Al Ahly esigabeni samaqoqo, yikho kanye osekuphembe inhlansi yethemba kubalandeli baleli qembu ngokwenza ezibukwayo kulo mqhudelwano elagcina ukuwunqoba ngesizini ka-1995.
Kanti futhi nokuqhathwa kwayo kuma-quarterfinal ne-Alger engenawo umlando omuhle kwiChampions League eyagcina ukuyinqoba ngo-1976, kuwenyusa kakhulu amathemba okwedlulela emzuliswaneni olandelayo kweZimnyama kulo mqhudelwano.
I-Alger, efinyelele kuma-quarterfinal ngokuqeda endaweni yesibili kuGroup A ngemuva kwe-Al Hilal yaseSudan, yayigcine ngo-2021 ukufinyelela kuma-quarterfinal alo mqhudelwano. Ngaphambi kwalokho, yaphuma esigabeni samaqoqo kulo mqhudelwano ngo-2011 nango-2018.
EZimnyama ezaphunyukwa yilesi sicoco seChampions League ngo-2013 ziguqiswa yi-Al Ahly kowamanqamu, zinenselelo yokwenza okufanayo ngokuhamba ibanga kulo mqhudelwano ngaphansi komqeqeshi, uJose Riveiro, osenqobele leli qembu izicoco ezine zomkhumulajezi okuyiNedbank Cup neMTN 8 kusukela athatha izintambo ngesizini ka-2022/23.
Ngakho ukwenza kahle kwePirates kwiChampions League, kungamenza iqhawe kubona ngokuba ngumqeqeshi wesibili wokufika olinqobele lesi sicoco ngemuva kukaRonald Mkandawire waseZambia ongasekho, owalihola ngempumelelo ekudleni lesi sicoco ngo-1995.