Dangerous Orlando Pirates must ‘go for the jugular’ in Abidjan

ABIDJAN, the capital of the Ivory Coast, is a city that conjures up glorious memories for everyone associated with Orlando Pirates.

This, after all, is the venue of the club’s greatest triumph.

It might have happened nearly three decades ago, but it is the stuff of legends – a tale even the young Ghost would know of.

Jerry Sikhosana scoring that breakaway goal to see Pirates beat ASEC Mimosas 1-0 to win the then-African Champions Cup 3-2 on aggregate, following the 2-2 first-leg draw at the FNB Stadium, is the most spectacular moment in the club’s history.

And as they look ahead to tonight’s Group C Match Day 3 clash with Stade D’Abidjan in the French-speaking city (6pm kick-off), you can bet just about everyone associated with the Buccaneers is thinking of 1995.

The discerning Pirates fan will, however, know that the Stade Houphouet Boigny Stadium is not only the scene of glory for their club.

There was also shame and humiliation there, ASEC exacting some kind of revenge on Pirates nine years after Sikhosana had sent a nation into mourning.

So confident were the Ivorians of an ASEC victory that their president had declared Monday a national holiday.

Safely landed🛬 in Abidjan 🇨🇮

⚫️⚪️🔴⭐️#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/BznEuOnD70

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) December 13, 2024

When the two teams met in a 2006 Champions League group match, ASEC smashed the Buccaneers 4-0, and Edward ‘Tata’ Malinga remembers that match as if it were yesterday.

“You know what happened there my brother... We were really doing well, even though the stadium was packed with a hostile crowd and the heat was unbearable.

“We actually went into halftime at 0-0, and we thought we got them,” the former Pirates defender recalled.

“But then in the second half, they punished us early because we made a defensive mistake.

“After we conceded the first goal, things went haywire. The crowd – which we had managed to silence and somewhat even got them to turn on their team – got pumped up, and they started hammering us.

“It was difficult for us to come back after we conceded the first goal, and they capitalised and scored the other goals in quick succession. We fell apart.”

Based on that experience, Malinga’s advice to Pirates is that they should strive to contain Stade D’Abidjan in the initial 20 minutes.

“So long as they keep them from scoring in the first 20 minutes, they will be in with a chance. The key will be for Pirates to remain calm and not allow the environment to dictate how they play.

“While I would suggest that they avoid taking the game to them but rather use the initial minutes to contain Stade D’Abidjan and suss them out, I’ve seen that Pirates’ strength is to go for the jugular.

“So, if they see that the opposition is there for the taking early on, they must do their thing.

“In any case, this Pirates team is very good at attacking.

“They go forward with great purpose, and they are very dangerous when they play on the front foot. I believe they can win in Abidjan, and even go on to do very well in this year’s Champions League.”

☠️ ⏪️ 𝗬𝗔𝗗𝗛𝗖𝗧𝗔𝗠 ⏪️

🎤 Sipho Chaine
🆚 @AlAhly
🏟 Orlando Stadium
🗓️ 07 Dec 2024

⚫️⚪️🔴⭐️#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/Kb7mUjQv7k

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) December 8, 2024

Though the current Buccaneers are new to this phase of the Champions League, Malinga said that they make up for it with the experience gained by most of their players from playing with the national team.

“They have a few players who play for Bafana Bafana, and that experience is going to help them in the Champions League.”

No doubt Jose Riveiro and his troops will choose for their Abidjan experience to be like that of Jerry Sikhosana and them instead of the one endured by Malinga and his teammates.

And ‘Tata’ would also not have it any other way.