La Cure Waves coach Jerome Thomas is expecting a backlash from Orlando Pirates in the teams’ CAF Champions League qualifying tie.
The Mauritian club held Pirates 0-0 in the first leg of their first round qualifier in Port Louis last weekend, but the South African champions are expected to prevail on home soil in Soweto on Saturday afternoon.
“We know the caliber of Orlando Pirates, who are on another level. You can’t compare the two teams. They are professionals, and we are an amateur team,” Thomas is quoted by Le Mauricien.
He then told Le Defi Sport: “I know it will be a very tough match. Orlando Pirates have had their pride wounded and will come out looking to hurt us in front of their home crowd. As for us, we need to keep possession well when we have the ball and be clinical in front of goal.
“It’s football, and anything can happen. We realise it will be extremely difficult. We are up against an African giant playing on home turf, in a stadium that holds thousands of fans.”
The Buccaneers will be hungry to advance after failing in last season’s Champions League, when they were eliminated before the group phase by St Eloi Lupopo of DR Congo.
Should Pirates get past La Cure Waves, they will come up against either Mangasport (Gabon) or African Stars (Namibia) in the final qualifying round next month.
