Orlando pirates
Orlando Pirates reach CAF Cup final despite shock home defeat
Pirates built a 2-0 first-leg lead in Benghazi last Sunday and qualified 2-1 on aggregate for a second final appearance in the second-tier African competition.
The Soweto Buccaneers were too organised in defence and too clinical in attack for the hosts and are well placed to reach the final after the return match next Sunday.
The Soweto Buccaneers dodged the big guns in the quarter-finals, and face Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya in a semi-final first leg on Sunday believing they can overcome the north Africans on aggregate.
Ghanaians Richard Ofori and Kwame Peprah played key roles as South African club Orlando Pirates reached the CAF Confederation Cup semifinals on Sunday with a penalty shootout victory over Tanzanian visitors Simba.
A scrappy affair before a capacity 60,000 crowd in Dar es Salaam appeared to be heading toward a goalless stalemate when disaster struck the Soweto Buccaneers on 68 minutes.
Proceedings were once again postponed in the Pretoria High Court on Tuesday to allow one of the accused the opportunity to build his defence and his special plea.
Lawyers for one of the accused on Monday blamed the State for withholding crucial witness statements until the eleventh hour.
The tragedy occurred as Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates clashed in front of what was meant to be a 60,000-capacity crowd.
The trial is set begin in the Pretoria High Court on Monday morning with five men expected in the dock.
South African Fortune Makaringe scored a wonder goal for Orlando Pirates on Sunday and Egyptian big spenders Pyramids became the first qualifiers for the CAF Confederation Cup quarterfinals.
Thembinkosi Lorch created both goals as 2015 runners-up Orlando Pirates of South Africa defeated JS Saoura of Algeria 2-0 in Soweto.
The Soweto Buccaneers were placed in Group B with JS Kabylie of Algeria or Royal Leopard of eSwatini, JS Saoura of Algeria and Al Ittihad of Libya.
Chiefs first counter-attack saw Khama Billiat win a foul just outside the penalty box as the preceding effort was sent over the crossbar.
Pirates squandered several good scoring chances in an empty stadium, due to coronavirus restrictions, and the result extended a winless league run to four matches.
The five men implicated in the murder of Orlando Pirates goalkeeper and Bafana Bafana captain Senzo Meyiwa returned to the Palm Ridge Magistrates Court on 25 October 2021. Meyiwa was shot dead in October 2014 while visiting his girlfriend, singer Kelly Khumalo, at her mother's home in Vosloorus.
With Jolidee Matongo being a die-hard Orlando Pirates supporter, the club’s chairperson Irvin Khoza and his team are also expected to visit the family to pay their respects.
His departure comes on the back of the club, who were defending champions, being knocked out of the MTN8 at the quarterfinal stage following a 2-1 loss to Swallows on Saturday night.
Chiefs won 4-3 on penalties after both teams failed to score in regulation time.
The fixture has become a regular season curtain raiser with Pirates having won the match five of the eight times.