Pirates have what it takes to win cup

R1.5-M CARRYOVER BOOST FOR 7 TAB POOLS!

It’s the final weekend of the 2021-22 season and it doesn’t get better than this for TAB soccer customers. TAB pools are loaded with enthralling matches and seven of them will start with carryovers totalling R1.5 million!

Over 48 hours of incredible excitement kicks off tonight when Orlando Pirates square up to Moroccan outfit Renaissance Berkane in the final of the African Confederation Cup. It’s a chance for Pirates to re-assert their brand on the continental stage and walk away with an impressive piece of silverware.

It will be no easy task because they are up against a well-drilled North African side, but the Buccaneers must believe victory is in their sights in Uyo, Nigeria.

The neutral venue is far from the Orlando Stadium and Pirates’ home support, but they have been pretty decent on the road this campaign, losing only two matches. Those losses were at Al-Ittihad (2-3), a game they really should have at least drawn, and at Simba (0-1) when they went down to a dubious penalty.

For the rest they have been solid away from home, especially the first leg of their semi-final in which they got a 2-0 win at Al Ahli Tripoli.

Compare that to Berkane, who have not won any of their last six on the road and have generally been poor travellers.

Berkane have been to recent Confederation Cup finals in 2019 and 2020, but Pirates also have great experience in their squad. Most of their players are internationals and have played on the big stage, while captain and centre-back Happy Jele has appeared in two African club competition finals before Champions League in 2013 and the Confederation Cup in 2015.

Pirates will recognise this is a major chance to lift silverware as the opportunities at home dry up due to Mamelodi Sundowns’ dominance.

Their MTN8 victory in 2020 aside, there has been little for Pirates to celebrate in recent years and a continental title will change that.

Aside from being the first South African club to lift the trophy, it will also ensure a place in the plum Super Cup match against the Champions League winners and boost the Pirates brand on the continent.

Pirates’ three outstanding league assignments start next Wednesday and will impact on the final log positions. But tomorrow could see Cape Town City make sure of second place if they win their derby against Stellenbosch and Royal AM, who are also chasing the runner-up berth, fail to beat Mamelodi Sundowns.