Orlando Pirates will play either JS Kabylie, ASC Jaraaf or Raja Casablanca in the Caf Confederation Cup quarterfinals. The draw will be made on Thursday (Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix)
Having finished their group campaign in second place, Orlando Pirates will be one of the unseeded teams in the Caf Confederation Cup quarterfinals finals draw set to be conducted on Thursday.
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The Buccaneers lost their place at the top of Group A table after losing 1-0 to Nigeria’s Enyimba in the last group phase match played at Enyimba International Stadium on Wednesday.
Having led the group for the most part of the group games, the Buccaneers finished the group campaign with nine points, level with Enyimba but the Aba Warriors have a better goal difference.
Pirates, however, should be glad to have made it to the knockout stages where they are set to meet with one of the group winners from the other groups in the tournament.
In the draw for the last eight, the four group winners in the tournament are seeded, while the runners-up are unseeded and the seeded are drawn against the unseeded.
But, teams from the same group can’t be drawn against each other like Pirates and Enyimba.
Teams that finished on top of their groups are JS Kabylie of Algeria on top of Group B, while Senegal based club ASC Jaraaf topped Group C and Moroccan club Raja Casablanca finished at the summit of Group D.
Here is a look at Bucs possible opponents and their history:
1. JS Kabylie – (Algeria)
– They have won the Algerian domestic league 14 times and Algerian Cup five times
– Won Caf Champions League twice
– They have also won the Caf Cup (later renamed Caf Confederation) three times
– The coach of the club is former Free State Stars mentor David Lavagne
2. ASC Jaraaf – (Senegal)
– Jaraaf had competed in continental championship 13 times, more than any other Senegalese club
– 12 times Senegal Premier League Champions
– 15 times Senegal FA Cup Champions
– Abdoulaye Sarr, who is the former coach of Senegal national is the current coach of the club
3. Raja Casablanca (Morocco)
– 12 times domestic champions
– Won the Caf Champions League three times and the Caf Confederation Cup once
– The Moroccans also have have two Caf Super Cup trophies under their belt
– Casablanca is coached by Tunisian born Lasaad Chabbi