Final fling: For Roger de Sa's Pirates |
ORLANDO PIRATES looked so comfortable at the halfway stage
in Group A of the African Champions League it appeared they couldn’t fail to
reach the semi-finals, with real hopes of a second star growing.
It was an incredible start for Roger de Sa’s Buccaneers,
having garnered SEVEN points in their first three games with a mediocre draw
against Congo’s first-time champions AC Leopards in Orlando followed by two
incredible wins against Egyptian giants Al Ahly 3-0 away and Zamalek 4-1 at
home.
Sadly, things have gone badly wrong since those heady days.
Saturday’s 1-0 defeat on a cabbage patch in Dolisie comes after the 1-2 Al-Gouna
reverse against Al Ahly. And with one game to play - against African champions Al Ahly at Orlando on Sunday - they STILL have just those seven points.
De Sa, with distant memories of those early qualifying wins
over Zanaco and TP Mazembe now fading, remains defiant: “Look, we finish
against Al Ahly on Sunday on a proper pitch, where we will get to play some
football. And the message is: All is not lost. We are still in this.
“It was always going to be tough – the conditions weren’t
good. You saw the pitch and what you see on TV is far from what we actually
experience.
“We’re disappointed to lose but it was very trying. We
attempted to string some passes together on a very bumpy pitch but it wasn’t
easy, the plan had to be changed. We had to adapt as best we could. My boys did
their best - you can’t fault them for effort.”
And with Sunday’s Egyptian derby producing a 4-2 defeat for reigning
African champions Al Ahly over Zamalek behind closed doors, the permutations in
Group A appear incredibly complicated with Pirates and Leopards both on seven
points, three behind the Al Ahly.
But the simple truth is this: Pirates MUST win against Al Ahly
on Sunday to qualify for the semi-finals. That guarantees a place in the last
four, no matter what Leopards do against the now hopeless Zamalek in Egypt (the games are supposed to kick off simultaneously).
Similarly, a defeat against Al Ahly in Orlando puts Pirates
OUT, even if Leopards LOSE at Zamalek – because the Congolese have a better
head-to-head record against the Sea Robbers, having drawn with them away and
beaten them at home.
The most complicated scenario for Pirates involves a draw.
That will also put them out – unless Leopards lose their final match. A win
puts the Congo champions through on points in second place, a draw puts them
through on head-to-head against Pirates.
The background to all this is complicated, because the CAF
Champions League uses a head-to-head system ahead of goal difference as their primary
discriminator.
For instance, the Pirates win scenario could leave THREE
sides tied on ten points if Leopards win too. But because Leopards are better
than Pirates on head-to-head and Al Ahly have the advantage over Leopards but
not Pirates, the top three would then form a mini-league with Roger’s men on
top with seven points. Al Ahly would have 6, Leopards 4 with results against
Zamalek ignored.
A three-team mini-league would also put Pirates out if they lose and Zamalec win, allowing AC Leopards to qualify.
A three-team mini-league would also put Pirates out if they lose and Zamalec win, allowing AC Leopards to qualify.
If Pirates top the group with a final win, they will play
Cameroon’s Coton Sport, who finished second in Group B after a 0-0 draw at Sewe
San Pedro in the Ivory Coast. Tunisia’s Esperance, ACL finalists last year, top
the group after beating Angola’s Recreativo Libolo – who put Pirates out last
year - 3-2.
Group A
TEAMS
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
PTS
|
AL AHLY (EGYPT, holders)
|
5
|
3
|
1
|
1
|
8
|
7
|
10
|
ORLANDO PIRATES (SOUTH AFRICA)
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
8
|
4
|
7
|
5
|
2
|
1
|
2
|
3
|
3
|
7
|
|
ZAMALEK (EGYPT)
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
11
|
4
|
Group B
TEAMS
|
P
|
W
|
D
|
L
|
F
|
A
|
PTS
|
ESPERANCE (Tunisia)
|
5
|
4
|
0
|
1
|
7
|
3
|
12
|
COTON SPORT DE GAROUA (Cameroon)
|
5
|
2
|
2
|
1
|
4
|
4
|
8
|
SEWE SPORT (IVORY COAST)
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
3
|
4
|
4
|
RECREATIVO LIBOLO (ANGOLA)
|
5
|
1
|
1
|
3
|
6
|
9
|
4
|
I have asked Roger de Sa if he will appear on BOLLOCKZ! my show on www.ballz.co.za this week, it airs every Thursday from 10am-noon.
You can also follow me on www.twitter.com/nealcol for all the latest sports news… and read my “Neal & Pray” column every Tuesday in www.thenewage.co.za.
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How would the mini league work then Neal? Who plays who, when and how would the two semi-finalists be decided?
ReplyDeleteThe winner of Group A plays the runner-up of Group B and vice versa.
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