Orlando Pirates seek to continue their 10-match winning run across all competitions (including extra time and penalties) when they visit Saint-Éloi Lupopo in Lubumbashi on Sunday in the CAF Champions League second preliminary round.
A day prior, Pirates' Soweto rivals -- Kaizer Chiefs -- will also play in Lubumbashi against AS Simba in the Confederation Cup. However, it is Orlando Pirates who have the tougher fixture of the two.
Six-time Congolese champions Lupopo qualified for the Champions League by finishing second in the 2024-25 Linafoot. They finished two points behind Aigles du Congo in the championship round, but finished above TP Mazembe and AS Vita -- DR Congo's two most famous clubs.
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou had a stint in charge of AS Vita, so he will be prepared for the challenge posed by Lupopo. Last season's Linafoot runners-up are currently coached by Guy Bukasa and have previously been coached by a familiar foe to the Buccaneers, Luc Eymael -- long ago linked with the Buccaneers and now in charge of Chippa United.
Eymael told Soccer Laduma that Pirates should expect the fans to play a role in making this a difficult fixture. Ouaddou's men breezed past Lesotho's Lioli FC in the first preliminary round despite a few difficult spells in the first leg, but this will arguably be their first true test.
Pirates will host the second leg at Orlando Stadium on October 25 and if nothing can separate the sides over 180 minutes, away goals will be the tiebreaker. If there is still no winner, the tie will go straight to penalties.
Key details
Date: Sunday, October 19 at 15:00 CAT (13:00 GMT)
Venue: Stade Frédéric Kibassa Maliba, Lubumbashi
How to watch: There has not been an official announcement on broadcast details yet at the time of writing, but the match is likely to be televised on SuperSport channel 209.
Team news
Orlando Pirates are coming off the back of a busy international window. Notably, five of their players started for Bafana Bafana in their decisive 3-0 FIFA World Cup qualifying win over Rwanda: Nkosinathi Sibisi, Thalente Mbatha, Oswin Appollis, Sipho Mbule and Evidence Makgopa.
Appollis was the best player on the day for Bafana, scoring one stunning goal and setting up two more. Both of the other goals were also scored by Pirates players -- namely Mbatha and Makgopa. This is positive news for the club, of course, but coming back to Earth after that high may prove to be a challenge.
Relebohile Mofokeng withdrew from the Bafana Bafana squad with injury and it is unclear what part -- if any -- he will play in the clash with Lupopo. However, he has had time to recuperate over the international break, which gives him an advantage.
Expected lineups
Orlando Pirates
GK Sipho Chaine
LB Deon Hotto | CB Mbekezeli Mbokazi | CB Lebone Seema | RB Thabiso Lebitso
CM Thalente Mbatha | CM Sihle Nduli
LW Oswin Appollis | AM Relebohile Mofokeng | RW Tshepang Moremi
ST Tshegofatso Mabasa
Saint-Éloi Lupopo
GK Simon Omossola
LB Joseph Douhadji | CB Mokonzi Katumbwe | CB Junior Marc Mendy | RB Michael Kimputu
CM Tenda Mutuila | CM Dramane Kambou
LW Henoc Molia | AM Miché Mika | RW Issama Mpeko
ST Ravel Djoumekou
Stats
Orlando Pirates have won 10 games in a row including the extra-time MTN8 final win over Stellenbosch and the penalty shootout semi-final second leg win over Mamelodi Sundowns.
Orlando Pirates have not conceded in their last eight games in all competitions.