Orlando Pirates will aim for all three points on Saturday, December 14, when they travel to West Africa to play Stade d’Abidjan in the CAF Champions League at Felix Houphouet Boigny Stadium.
After playing out to a 0-0 draw with the reigning champions in Soweto on December 7, the Buccaneers are still tied with Al Ahly on four points in second place and are undefeated in Group C.
When they defeated CR Belouizdad 2-1 in their first group stage match, Jose Riveiro’s team earned all the points from their trip to Algiers 11 days prior, and the Spanish tactician is confident they can repeat the feat in Abidjan.
Riveiro, however, doesn’t think Les Yeyes will simply roll over for Pirates on the western coast of Africa after they hung on for 71 minutes before losing to the Reds 1-0 at home the last time.
“It’s an away game. They (Stade d’Abidjan) didn’t get a good result in the first game in Cairo (against Al Ahly), but you can see the type of team they are, we managed to see that they are… what can I say? Quite rigid, tactically,” he said.
“And for sure an away game is going to be tough, it’s going to be difficult but I’m optimistic.
“I’m looking at the fixture as an opportunity for us to fight for three points.”
As CR Belouizdad is only three points ahead of them in third place ahead of a difficult trip to Al Ahly on December 22, a victory over the Sea Robbers would keep their continental dream alive at the halfway point of the group stages.
Stade d’Abidjan has yet to register a single point in the group after losing 4-2 to the Red Eagles on November 26, but on the plus side, they managed to score twice in Cairo, proving they can be a threat.
