Coach urges Pirates to seal group stage spot after narrow win over Stars in Botswana

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has cautioned that they are far from achieving their objective of reaching the CAF Champions League group stages despite carrying a 1-0 lead against African Stars.

The Buccaneers won 1-0 in the second qualifying round first leg in Botswana on Sunday and need to avoid defeat in the return leg on Friday to advance to the group stages.

Tshepang Moremi scored the only goal in the second half to give the Soweto giants an advantage ahead of the return leg at Orlando Amstel Arena.

But Ouaddou has warned his side not to think the job is done, saying they must work hard in the second leg to secure their place in the group stages.

“I think we have succeeded in the first half of the two games and we still have the second half in South Africa,” Ouaddou told the media after the game.

“I cannot say we have one foot in the group stages. We still have an important second half there and we will have to prepare for this to qualify for the group stages.

“It’s an important target for the club, the technical team and the players, so we’ll rest and prepare well so we can start that game to win it.”

After being knocked out by St Eloi Lupopo at this stage last season, Ouaddou said Pirates were well prepared for the first leg, particularly for the hot weather.

We don’t care about the weather, it can be 40 degrees, it can be -10. We are going there to get results and to go through the next group stages.

“When we prepared for this game in the week, at the beginning of the week, our analysis department already told us that we will have 35 degrees, 36 degrees. So, we were prepared for that. I said to my boys that we are on a mission and soldiers who are going to the mission,” he said.

“We don’t care about the weather, it can be 40 degrees, it can be -10. We are going there to get results and to go through the next group stages.

“Mentally, we prepared the boys because, you know, when you play in the Champions League, you have to adapt to any condition, and it’s part of the development of the boys; it’s part of football.”

The Buccaneers will look to finish the job on Friday and secure their place in the group stages.