Orlando Pirates secured a hard-fought 1-0 win over African Stars in their first leg CAF Champions League second preliminary round qualifier at the Botswana National Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the squad were clearly aware of the danger of complacency, having fell at this stage of the competition last season to St Elo Lupopo.
It proved a damaging result, having reached the semi-finals the season prior, but Ouaddou’s debut season ended up yielding two domestic cups and the league triumph.
This time around, African Stars, the champions of Namibia stood in their way, having beaten MangaSport of Gabon in the opening round while Pirates eased passed La Cure Waves.
It was a full strength side set-up but they were held valiantly by the hosts, with Giamphani Lungu coming closest to opening the scoring on the day, heading the ball narrowly over the crossbar on the brink of half-time.
It proved something or a warning to Stars – as Pirates looked for the opener in the early stages of the second half, and after being left frustrated Ouaddou responded with the changes of Evidence Makgopa, and Sbangani Zulu introduced for Mbuthuma and Nkosanathi Sibisi.
And the chances brought the desired affect as Tshepang Moremi found the opener with 20 minutes to go as they took the advantage to Soweto next week – for the return leg, where the winner advances to the group stage of the 2026/27 Champions League.