After the draw in Cairo, Orlando Pirates learned their group stage CAF Champions League opponents and schedule. The Buccaneers will have a tough road ahead of them if they want to make it to the knockout stages.

Colombe Sportive of Cameroon, RS Berkane of Morocco, and Tanzanian club Simba SC make up Group C, with Abdeslam Ouaddou's squad. Pirates will need to maintain a high level of play throughout the tournament to qualify, since the draw has clubs from a wide variety of footballing backgrounds.

The Soweto giants will face Steve Barker's old Orlando Pirates squad, Simba SC, away from home in the first match of the group round. Pirates will have a great chance to get off to a strong start in the tournament in the first match.

On the second day of the tournament, the Orlando Amstel Arena will host the Pirates' home encounter against RS Berkane. Because of the Moroccan team's reputation for putting up a tough fight, the Buccaneers might benefit greatly by playing at home.

Following that, Pirates will play two matches in a row against Colombe Sportive according to the schedule. On the third matchday, they'll go to Cameroon for their first encounter. On the fourth matchday, they'll welcome their same opponents to South Africa.

The fifth matchday encounter, between Pirates and Simba SC, might decide the group winners. Their group stage campaign will come to a close with a match against RS Berkane away in Morocco.

The first round of group stage matches is set for November 27–29, while the last round, on January 22–24, 2027, will conclude the tournament. In order to advance to the following round, pirates will be collecting points throughout the campaign.

Reports indicate that the inquiry into the DStv Premiership match between Orlando Pirates and Orbit College FC last season has been halted by PSL president Irvin Khoza. Allegedly, some league officials wanted to review the match because they thought money had changed hands between the two teams. Reportedly, Khoza put a stop to it after realising the rumours weren't accurate. Not a single accusation has been levelled against either club, and no proof of misconduct has been shown.

With their European campaign just on the corner, the Pirates will be laser-focussed on taking down their Group C rivals. As the season goes on, it will also be vital to balance local responsibilities with the demands of African competition.

It will be crucial for the Buccaneers to show consistency on the road if they are to make a serious run at the CAF Champions League. You can tell a lot about their ability to withstand the group stage pressure from their first encounter against Simba SC.

Pirates will want to keep their qualifying chances alive until the very last matchday, as they have a challenging journey to Morocco waiting for them in the penultimate round. With a group that guarantees contested matchups, every point might be significant.

Source: IDiskiTimes

https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/caf-champions-league/pirates-cafcl-fixtures-confirmed-2/