Fans Happy with Orlando Pirates' "Easy" CAF Confed Cup Draw, Warned Against Overconfidence

• Orlando Pirates have received a favourable draw for the 2022 CAF Confederation Cup which starts in February
• Supporters were thrilled with the draw, believing that it would be a relatively easy path into the knockout stage despite a difficult travel programme
• Former goalkeeper William Shongwe warned them and the players to not fall into a mindset of complacency by underestimating their opponents

Orlando Pirates have found out who their opponents will be in the 2022 edition of the CAF Confederations Cup starting in February.

The Buccaneers will take on JS Saoura (Algeria), Al-Ittihad (Libya) and the winners of a play-off between JS Kabyile (Algeria) and Royal Leopards (Eswatini). Pirates will hope Leopards defeat Kabyile, because this would force the team to fly to North Africa for each one of its away matches in the group stages, an arduous and historically unpleasant journey.

However, supporters were pleased with the draw, believing that the Soweto giants would breeze through the group. Despite this optimism, legendary former goalkeeper William Shongwe warned Pirates players to not get drawn into believing the hype by underestimating their opponents.

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He told KickOff:

"I understand people's belief but I want now to assure them that the teams that eventually falls down to the Confed Cup group stages are the teams that lifted league titles in their own country. It can take the form team two or three games to reach the final, but it doesn't take away the quality of the teams.

"So the quality of those leagues is no piece of cake and those that were in the Champions League have now graduated to Confed Cup group stages. It's not going to be easy, in each team that is in the group stages there's quality."

Sebe Cee said:

"We don't have competition in Africa! They must give us Bayern Munich."

@moosemuesli said:

"Watch out, the Algerians! We win away and it'll ease off the pressure."

@bonginkosi868 said:

"Champions in advance, Orlando Pirates!"

@naughtynyc_13:

"The group looks easy but we all know the game is not as it looks like."

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Shauwn Mkhize set to trim the salary fat at Royal AM in the new year

Royal AM will look to tighten the belt in a cost-cutting exercise at the beginning in the new year.

MaMkhize's charges appear to be feeling a financial pinch and only the offloading of playing personnel can ease the pressure.

As reported by Sports Brief, this was revealed on amid rumours that the club had a higher-than-acceptable wage bill.