Pirates in line for Champions League progress

With one of the eight quarterfinal places already secured by Sudan’s Al Hilal, more slots in the knockout phase of the African Champions League can be confirmed this weekend.

South Africa’s Orlando Pirates are among the clubs who have it in their own hands to make sure of progress through to the next stage of the continent’s top club competition while Mamelodi Sundowns will be looking to also take a step closer.

The Buccaneers will be sure of a top two finish in Group C if they win at home on Sunday against Algeria’s Chabab Belouzidad, having taken over the leadership last weekend when holders Al Ahly lost a 27-match unbeaten run in the competition as they succumbed to a last minute Belouizdad goal.

Al Ahly are away in the Ivory Coast at bottom placed Stade Abidjan, who have a single point but are mathematically not yet out of contention.

Pirates’ clash at the Orlando Stadium will be their third game in a fatigued-filled week although coach Jose Riveiro insisted he was confident his players were fit for the task.

“Like I explained already many, many times the (fixture) schedule is a new space for all of us that we are learning to explore, to understand and so far so good, we cannot complain about that,” he said despite their 1-0 loss at Cape Town City in the Betway Premiership on Wednesday.

This weekend’s penultimate round of group matches begins on Friday in Algiers when Mouloudia Alger will be looking to keep up second place in Group A at the expense of visiting TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo.

MC Alger, with five points from their opening four games in the group, sit second behind already qualified Al Hilal, who have 10 points. But the Algerians have a slender one-point lead over third placed Young Africans of Tanzania, who have played themselves back into contention after losing their opening two matches.

Sead Ramovic’s team play in Nouakchott on Sunday against Al Hilal, who are using Mauritania as their base while the civil conflict in Sudan rages on.

Yanga will know what they need to stay in contention after Friday’s clash in Alger, which will be officiated by Cape Town’s Abongile Tom, but it will still be hard pressed to come away with anything from their away clash against in-form Al Hilal.

Mazembe, who were semifinalists last season, face being eliminated unless they register their first win of the group phase.

Mamelodi Sundowns are second in Group B but their position is under threat as they play away on Saturday (kick off 3pm) at Maniema Union in Kinshasa.

Any hiccup for the Brazilians, who must do without the suspended Bathusi Aubaas and Khuliso Mudau, could open the door for their Congolese hosts, who are yet to win but have drawn three of their four group games, or Raja Casablanca, who beat Sundowns in a tempestuous match last weekend.

Raja take on group leaders Royal Armed Forces in the all-Moroccan derby in Meknes on Saturday night. Raja, who need a win to keep alive their hopes, have kept caretaker coach Hafid Abdessadek in place as they continue to search for a successor for ex-Portugal international Sa Pinto who was fired last month.

Angola’s Sagrada Esperanca can move themselves into contention if they win at home to Pyramids of Egypt in Luanda on Saturday while debutants Djoliba have a last chance to keep alive their Group D hopes when they host Esperance of Tunisia in Bamako on Sunday.

Esperance and Pyramids sit on seven points each with Sagrada Esperanca on five and winless Djoliba on two.

Sagrada Esperanca beat Djoliba 1-0 in Luanda last Sunday for their first win in the group, after which coach Francisco Moniz said the result was far more important that their dour performance.