Orlando Pirates and Kaizer Chiefs officially began their journeys in continental football this past weekend, both playing their first-leg preliminary fixtures away from home.
For Pirates, however, it hardly felt like an away game. The Buccaneers faced Lesotho’s Lioli FC, who opted to host their CAF Champions League clash at Toyota Stadium in the Free State. With a sizable “Ghost” following behind them, the Soweto giants turned the venue into familiar territory.
The Lesotho side showed resilience early on, holding Pirates to a goalless stalemate at half-time. But Moroccan tactician Abdeslam Ouaddou responded decisively after the break, introducing fresh legs in Tshepang Moremi and Camran Dansin for Thalente Mbatha and Sipho Mbule.
The changes paid off immediately. Tshegofatso Mabasa broke the deadlock in the 54th minute, converting from a corner. He later completed his first-ever CAF Champions League brace after being set up by Relebohile “President Yama2K” Mofokeng. Moremi’s link-up play with Oswin Appollis added further sparkle, with Appollis getting on the scoresheet to seal a comfortable 3-0 victory for the Buccaneers.
“We knew it was going to be tough away from home,” said Mabasa after the match. “But the team showed character, and we executed the coach’s plan perfectly.”
Meanwhile in Angola, Kaizer Chiefs endured a far tougher outing. The Glamour Boys travelled to Luanda to face Kabuscorp SC, a club competing in the Angolan Girabola and known for its lively Bakongo fanbase. Chiefs went into the fixture on the back of an impressive domestic run-13 points in their opening five Betway Premiership matches-before stumbling midweek against Sekhukhune United.
In Luanda, Amakhosi suffered a narrow 1-0 defeat, marking their second consecutive loss of the season. After the game, one Kaizer Chiefs faithful reflected, “It’s disappointing, no doubt. But we have the return leg at home, and we’ll get something to cheer about.”
The setback sparked frustration among fans, with questions arising about the team’s continental inexperience, the sudden departure of coach Nasreddine Nabi, and whether this was simply a tough day at the office. One supporter commented, “We know our team can do better; it’s just about adjusting to the continental stage.”
Still, all is not lost. Chiefs will have a chance to redeem themselves in the return leg on 27 September in front of their home supporters. Football is full of twists, and Amakhosi will be eager to prove their mettle in the CAF Confederation Cup preliminary round second leg.
