Orlando Pirates Survive Late Scare Against Al Ahly Tripoli to Book CAF Confederation Cup Final Berth

• Orlando Pirates will head to Nigeria for the CAF Confederation Cup final on Friday
• The Buccaneers beat a determined Al Ahly Tripoli side on aggregate to reach the final
• Orlando Pirates will meet the winner of RSB Berkane and TP Mazembe in the final

Orlando Pirates are through to the 2021/22 CAF Confederations Cup final.

The Buccaneers secured victory on aggregate against Libya’s Al Ahly Tripoli after a 0-0 draw at the Orlando Stadium.

After securing a 2-0 win in the first leg in Libya, Pirates expected Al Ahly to come out fighting and that’s what they got. Mohammed el Fakih had the first shot on goal for the Libyan side, sending his long-range effort just over the bar.

Bandile Shandu and Deo Hotto also looked threatening for the Buccaneers as Pirates looked to extend their advantage. Al Ahly would have felt hard done by in the first half as they had two penalties disallowed by the Video Assistant Referee.

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The second penalty shout had Pirates fans feeling unfairly treated as the ball bounced up against Happy Jele’s hand and was adjudged to be a handball in the box. The decision was reversed after VAR intervened.

Richard Ofori was sensational between the sticks as he was called upon to make save after save as Al Ahly pushed forward relentlessly. With Pirates defending well, the Libyan side resorted to long-range efforts which Ofori dealt with well.

Olisah Ndah could have put Pirates ahead before halftime as he misdirected his header wide from a corner. The second half saw Pirates dominate more possession but fail to use it. Hotto looked like Pirates’ most dangerous player but he seemed to lack the final pass to unlock the Al Ahly defence.

Ali Abu Arqoub set the cat amongst the pigeons when he scored in the 88th minute. His long-range strike took a deflection of Goodman Mosele and beat a helpless Ofori. The goal gave them a sniff at levelling the tie. They pushed forward for the remaining minutes and extra time but could not find an equaliser.

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Orlando Pirates thoroughly outplays Al Ahly Tripoli in 1st leg of CAF Confederations Cup semifinal in Libya

Orlando Pirates was too good for Al Ahly Tripoli in the first leg of the CAF Confederations Cup at the Martyrs of February Stadium in Tripoli, Sports Brief earlier reported.

The Buccaneers thoroughly outplayed Tripoli in a 2-0 victory. An eighth-minute goal from Innocent Maela and another from Goodman Mosele set the visitors on their way to what was a thoroughly convincing defeat of the visitors.

What did not hurt was that Ahly Tripoli fans were not allowed into the venue for hitherto unknown reasons, which Pirates took advantage of. There was also a matter of floodlight failure in the dying stages of the match, though there was nothing sinister about this turn of events.