MC Alger will become the sixth different Algerian side Orlando Pirates have faced in CAF continental competition when the Mighty Buccaneers take on the current Algerian Ligue 1 league leaders tonight.
Jose Riveiro and his men are currently in Algiers for their all-important TotalEnergies CAF Champions League quarter-final first leg encounter that will be held at the 5 July 1962 Olympic Stadium. Fortunately, this will not be this current squad’s first time at the 67,000-seater stadium as they competed against another Algerian outfit CR Belouizdad in the group stages of the competition.
Pirates have played against Algerian teams on nine occasions and here they are:
1996 CAF Super Cup Final
A few months after lifting the 1995 Caf Champions Cup, the Buccaneers met up with JS Kabylie in the final of the Super Cup. The match, which was played at the FNB Stadium, saw the hosts clinch the title courtesy of a Bruce Ramokadi goal.
Orlando Pirates 1-0 JS Kabylie
1997 CAF Champions Cup – Group Stage
After winning the Champions Cup and Super Cup, Pirates faced a setback the next year, failing to win against USM Alger and exiting the competition.
USM Alger 2-1 Orlando Pirates
Orlando Pirates 1-1 USM Alger
2021 CAF Confederation Cup – Group Stage
The two matches against ES Setif proved a tough nut to crack. 180 minutes of football between these two sides failed to produce a goal. A total of 33 shots between the two sides (only seven on target) summarised the cagey nature of these matches. Fortunately for Pirates, the results saw them qualify for the knockout stages (on 9 points) at the expense of ES Setif who only had 8 points
ES Setif 0-0 Orlando Pirates
Orlando Pirates 0-0 ES Setif
2022 CAF Confederation Cup – Group Stage
Orlando Pirates 2-0 JS Saoura
JS Saoura 0-2 Orlando Pirates
2024/25 CAF Champions League – Group Stage
An unfancied and fairly inexperienced Pirates team arrived in Algeria with very few giving Jose Riveiro and his charges a chance of getting a result against CRB let alone earn a victory but against all odds, Pirates came out on top courtesy of two goals from Mohau Nkota.
The return leg that was played at Orlando Stadium ended in similar fashion as the first, with the hosts going 2-0 up courtesy of goals from Relebohile Mofokeng and Thalente Mbatha, before the visitors clawed a goal back towards the end of the match.
CR Belouizdad 1-2 Orlando Pirates
Orlando Pirates 2-1 CR Belouizdad
SOURCED FROM ORLANDO PIRATES WEBSITE.
