For 74 minutes it felt like one of those African afternoons. Chances came and went, the goalkeeper in front of them kept saying no, and every Buccaneers fan following on a phone knew exactly how these away days can turn on you. Then Tshepang Moremi arrived.
The African Stars Orlando Pirates result in Gaborone was a 1-0 win for the visitors, Moremi scoring on 75 minutes at the Botswana National Stadium, in the opening leg of their second-round qualifier in the CAF Champions League. Pirates bring a lead and a clean sheet home.
| Detail | |
|---|---|
| Result | African Stars 0-1 Orlando Pirates |
| Goal | Tshepang Moremi 75′ |
| Venue | Botswana National Stadium, Gaborone |
| Stage | CAF Champions League qualifying, second round, leg one |
| Return leg | Friday 23 October, Soweto |
How the African Stars Orlando Pirates result was won
Pirates had the better of a goalless first half without making it count. Gamphani Lungu went close with a header, and on 19 minutes Moremi slipped Yanela Mbuthuma through, only for the Stars goalkeeper to block, The Citizen and Afrik-Foot reported. At the other end Sipho Chaine had to be sharp just after the half-hour, saving from a Stars break that came against the run of play.
The pattern held after the break. Mbuthuma was one-on-one with the goalkeeper just before the hour and could not finish, his second big opening of the afternoon gone. Evidence Makgopa later came on to lead the line.
The breakthrough came from patience rather than panic. The Citizen described a neat move built from the back, and Moremi finished it with about a quarter of an hour to play. AfricaSoccer counts it as his fifth goal in all competitions this season and his first in this season’s Champions League.
The Namibian champions pushed for an equaliser late on, but Pirates held firm, MDNtv reported, and saw it out.
Ouaddou’s changes
Abdeslam Ouaddou did not simply repeat the side that beat TS Galaxy 3-0 in midweek (the story of that night is in our report on the Galaxy win). Thalente Mbatha, who did not start against Galaxy, was back in central midfield. Mbuthuma led the line ahead of Boitumelo Radiopane, and Oswin Appollis began on the bench.
It worked, mostly. Moremi produced both the pass that should have brought a goal and the goal that did. The worry is the finishing. Mbuthuma had two clear chances before Moremi’s goal, and against a side with more cutting edge that can be the difference between a lead and a deficit.
Why the African Stars result matters
Before the trip, Ouaddou spoke about the lesson of last season’s exit to St Eloi Lupopo at this same stage, and called the group stage a big target this time, as our African Stars v Orlando Pirates preview reported. He wanted a positive result on the road so the job could be finished at home. He has one.
A win away, with nothing conceded, is about as good as a first leg gets. It is not the end of the tie. The Stars are the champions of Namibia and they will not arrive in Soweto to make up the numbers. But the pressure has moved to the side chasing the game, and that is not Pirates.
It was also a far happier afternoon than the one Kaizer Chiefs had in Zambia, where Red Arrows beat them 1-0, as our Red Arrows v Kaizer Chiefs report explains.
What comes next
The return leg is in Soweto on Friday 23 October, and the aggregate score decides who reaches the group stage. A refresher on how these qualifying ties work is in the ScoreLine guide to the preliminary rounds, and the rest of the Buccaneers’ season is on the ScoreLine Pirates hub.
One goal in Gaborone. One more step on Friday. Pirates supporters will expect it to be taken.