Photo Courtesy Pirates Media.
Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has discussed the importance of their CAF Champions League fixture against African champions Al Ahly at Cairo International Stadium on Saturday.
Pirates and Al Ahly have already secured their spots in the knockout stages of the competition after pivotal victories this past weekend. However, with the top spot in Group C still up for grabs, the match promises to be a high-stakes encounter.
“Beating Al Ahly would be pivotal in our journey. We're here to win and top the group. We respect Al Ahly and welcome the crowd's presence,” said Riveiro. “It's a great opportunity to showcase beautiful football.
“We have an opportunity to compete and win one more game, in a magnificent scenario, with an opportunity to lead the group at the end of the game. So there are a lot of components to keep our motivation very high and not take the last game of the group lightly.”
He added: “Like I said, to be competitive with our team in this competition, we need our best performance all the time. There is no other way that you can win games in this group, and if we are not 100% here in Cairo, it won’t be a good day for us.”
As it stands, Pirates lead the group with 11 points from five matches, while Al Ahly trail closely behind with 10 points after the same number of matches. This sets the stage for a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday, with both teams vying for the coveted first-place finish.
Al Ahly will enter this match in fine form, having secured a 2-0 victory over El Gouna in the Egyptian Premier League on Wednesday. Lead striker Emam Ashour scored both goals, showcasing his importance to the team.
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