Riveiro Reacts To Dropping Two Points In Abidjan

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Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro says he’s a bit disappointed with the result but they still have their own fate in their hands in the CAF Champions League. Pirates remain unbeaten and now move top of Group C with five points from their opening three games with an away win over CR Belouizdad, and now draws against Al Ahly at home and Stade d’Abidjan this evening. Evidence Makgopa gave Pirates the lead on the brink of half-time but Ousmane Meite leveled matters with well-worked set-piece routine for the West Africans. “Well it’s a point that gives us an opportunity

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Rulani’s Wydad Close In On League Leaders

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Rulani Mokwena’s Wydad Athletic Club moved to third place after a comfortable 3-0 victory against JS Soualem. The Red Castle started a game to end the hoodoo against Soualem who had beaten them twice last season and collected six points. They started the game like a house on fire putting Soualem under a lot of pressure. After six minutes their pressure finally paid off after Soualem failed to clear their lines and the ball ended in the feet of Sidi Bouna who set up Oussama Zamraoui for the first goal. The Morrocan giants didn’t take off their feet on the

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Pirates Move Top But Drop Points In Abidjan

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Orlando Pirates moved top of their CAF Champions League Group C with a 1-1 draw against Stade d’Abidjan at the Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny on Saturday evening. Pirates missed the golden chance to move up to seven points from three games but they remain unbeaten as the home side picked up their first point of the group. Having lost their opening two games against Al Ahly and CR Belouizdad and Pirates securing a win over the Algerian and Egyptian clubs respectively, Jose Riveiro’s side were favourites despite the game being played out in Ivory Coast. Another talking point was it’s the

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Riveiro On Running The Same Race As Sundowns

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Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has downplayed running the same race as Mamelodi Sundowns in terms of expectations. Pirates are firmly within the title race, level on points with Sundowns after eight games played with seven wins and one loss each. They are both now competing in the group stages of Africa’s elite club competition for the first time together since the 2018/19 season. “The title was a long time ago, we played a final in 2013, but as I said many times, we are making our first steps in this difficult competition together as a group, with experienced

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Stade d’Abidjan v Pirates Starting XIs Confirmed

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Stade d’Abidjan and Orlando Pirates have announced their starting lineup for the evening CAF Champions League encounter at Félix Houphouët-Boigny. The Ivorian giants have not won a match in this group after suffering two defeats to; Al Ahly SC and CR Belouizdad. Buccaneers on the other side are yet to lose after beating Belouizdad and playing a goalless draw against reigning African champions and a win for them would send them top of the group. This is the first time these two sides face against each other but it’s the same arena where Pirates won the Champions League in 1995

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Khanye Applauds Yeye And Mngomeni

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Former South African junior international Junior Khanye has lauded the technical team that led the Amajimbos at the recently concluded COSAFA U17 Youth Championships. Amjimbos bench led by Vela Khumalo also had former professionals in Reneilwe “Yeye” Letsholonyana and Thabo Mngomeni as assistants with Khanye saying the duo’s influence in the team was evident in how the side dominated play. The former Kaizer Chiefs winger who was the tournament ambassador admitted to being disappointed with Amjimbos for not reaching the final of the competition where they would have qualified for U17 AFCON in Ivory Coast next year. However, Khanye noted

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Mngqithi – They Apologised And I Accepted

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Former Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Manqoba Mngqithi opened up on the rumours that there were squabbles between him and some senior players at the club. Mngqithi took charge of Sundowns at the beginning of the season, after a few games into the season, there were rumours that there had been an issue between him and some senior players.  The former Lamontville Golden Arrows coach stated that there were players who made mistakes, and they apologized but remained coy about which players were those.  “I am one person who does not want to hang my dirty linen in public and surely

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Cardoso On Sundowns Captaincy Decision

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Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has addressed the dynamics of selecting his captain at the club. Sundowns current club captain is Themba Zwane, who has been ruled out with a long-term injury suffered while on international duty with Bafana Bafana. Ronwen Williams has since stepped up with the armband, while Teboho Mokoena, Denis Onyango and Mosa Lebusa have also had their opportunities to lead the side previously. While there’s a notable strength in leadership within the group, Cardoso notes he looks to a more collective understanding when it comes to the role. “I like to have captains that have

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Riveiro – Pirates Not Focused On History

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Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro says the fact that the side is returning to a historic venue in the CAF Champions League is just that history as they aim to get three points against Stade d’Abidjan. The two meet at Stade Félix Houphouët Boigny where Pirates lifted the trophy in 1995 against ASEC Mimosas, but this time in a Group C encounter this afternoon. Riveiro’s side are second in the group locked on four points with Al Ahly who they held last week after two matches. Their hosts are at the bottom of the Group with no points from

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