Pirates ready for do-or-die Enyimba clash
The final games in Group A will determine who makes it to the Caf Confederation Cup quarterfinals.
Josef Zinnbauer left Orlando Pirates under a bit of cloud. (Picture; Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images)
With the final two Group A games in the Caf Confederations Cup set to determine the two teams that will progress to the knockout stages, it is all to play for as Enyimba and Orlando Pirates meet today at the Enyimba Sadium in Aba, Nigeria (Kick off 11pm SA time).
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All four teams in the group have a chance to move into the quarterfinals of the competition, with Bucs on top of the standings with nine points, followed by Al-Ahly Benghazi on seven, then Enyimba and ES Setif on six and five respectively.
Pirates go into this game having not won a match in their last two games, playing to a goalless draw against Setif in match-day five of the Confed Cup, which was followed by a 1-1 draw against Swallows FC in the DStv Premiership. The Buccaneers coach
Josef Zinnbauer is looking to put the past games behind them as they look to make things right against Enyimba.
Pirates will go to the quarterfinals if they get at least a point against Enyimba, while a defeat will leave their progress up in the air.
“Next we have an important game against Enyimba. I think the positives we are taking to the Enyimba match is that we played well against Swallows, but I would be happier if we had better results to take it to our next game,” said the Bucs mentor.
“But the performance gives us hope going forward. We can play without fear on Wednesday.”
Meanwhile, Enyimba coach Fatai Osho is also determined to see his club get a victory against Bucs. And says he expected the group to be decided on the last day of the matches.
“You look at the group and everyone still stands the chance to go to the quarterfinals. I had said that the group would go on to the last day,” Osho was quoted as saying by Nigerian website Brila.net.
“Every team is competing very well, what we need to do right now is ensure we get our maximum points against Pirates and see what happens in the other venue.”
When the two sides met in the first leg in Johannesburg at the Orlando Stadium, Pirates emerged as 2-1 victors thanks to goals by winger Deon Hotto and Tshegofatso Mabasa, while influential midfielder Augustine Oladapo, who will miss the second leg due to suspension, got the consolation goal for the Nigerian outfit.
