Al Ittihad Tripoli Defeat Orlando Pirates, Libyan Champions Beat Buccaneers in Confederation Cup Classic

• Libya's Al Ittihad Tripoli beat South Africa's Orlando Pirates 3-2 in the Confederation Cup earlier today
• Al Ittihad Tripoli scored twice in the first half and once in the second half to cap off an impressive victory
• Bandile Shandu scored twice for the Buccaneers as Orlando Pirates fought back every time they went behind

Al Ittihad Tripoli made good on their promise to bury Orlando Pirates as the Libyan side beat the Buccaneers 3-2 in a classic Confederation Cup encounter.

The Libyan champions overcame a determined Sowetan side who kept scoring every time they went behind. Sadly the Buccaneers couldn’t repeat the feat for the third time.

Kwame Peprah was dropped to the bench for the game, with Gabadinho Mhango was recalled to the matchday squad, much to the relief of some Pirates fans.

Both teams started quite evenly, eager not to make a mistake and give away a goal. Sadly Pirates made the first mistake when Happy Jele gave away a freekick just outside the box.

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Sanad Al Warfali stepped up and put the ball into the bottom right corner to give Al Ittihad the lead. Just over ten minutes later, Bandile Shandu put Pirates level. The defender produced a beautiful shot to fire Pirates level.

Two minutes later, Al Ittihad took the lead again. Muad Eisay latched on to a through ball and found the back of the net.

Pirates, though, wouldn’t sit back and accept being behind. Shandu came to their recuse once again as he finished from close range to bring the Buccaneers level on the stroke of halftime. The ball was bouncing around the box before Shandu guided it home.

The teams went into the break level but Al Ittihad took the lead again soon after the restart. Omar Al Khouja put his team ahead on 53 minutes, a lead they would hold onto until the final whistle.

Pirates did bring on Mhango and Peprah in the second half, but it wasn’t enough to claw a draw or victory.

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Pirates still top the group though but have played one more game than everyone else.

Al-Ittihad Tripoli vs Orlando Pirates: Libyan champions look to bury the Buccaneers in the Confederation Cup

Al Ittihad Tripoli is gearing up to face South Africa’s Orlando Pirates, but Libya’s footballing champions aren’t planning to go easy on the Buccaneers, Sports Brief earlier reported, while previewing the match.

Orlando Pirates go into the encounter having won their opening game against JS Saoura in the Confederation Cup. Al Ittihad are yet to play. Their opening game against Royal Leopards was postponed to March.

The Libyan outfit isn’t phased by the Pirates’ winning start though and has fired a warning shot to the Buccaneers. In a pre-match post on their Instagram page, Al Ittihad warned that Pirates had crossed the desert but arrived in the cemetery.