Abadlali be-Orlando Pirates bazophuma izithende kulandela umnqamulajuqu wokulungiselela imidlalo yeConfederation of African Football (Caf) njengoba beqala uhambo lweChampions League namuhla ngesonto. EZimnyama zifuna ukuqhubeka nokwengeza inkanyezi ejezini labo elihloniphekile ngokuphinda iphumelele isicoco esike yasithola ngo-1995.
IPirates, eseyiqembu elaziwayo ezwenikazi le-Afrika ngokuphumelela kwayo emiqhudelwaneni yase-Afrika, seyiphinde yafinyelela emiqhudelanweni emikhulu e-Africa izikhathi eziningi. Leqembu liwine iCaf Champions League ngo-1995, lafika kowamanqamu weChampions League ngo-2013, kanye nakowamanqamu weCaf Confederation Cup ngo-2015 nango-2022.
Nokho, kulesikimini samanje sePirates, bambalwa abadlali abanolwazi lokufinyelela kowamanqamu, okungase kube yinkinga njengoba leliqembu lizoqala umkhankaso walo kwiCaf Champions League ngomhla ka-20 Agasti 2024. Abadlali ababili kuphela, u-Innocent Maela no-Olisah Ndah, abawuqalile umdlalo kowamanqamu weConfederation Cup ka-2022. Lokhu kuzodinga ukuthi abadlali basheshe baqine ukhakhayi ukuze bangayeki leli thuba lokwenza kahle.
Ngomlenze wokuqala wesigaba sokuqala sokuhlunga, iPirates izogadulisana neDisciples FC yaseMadagascar eCode D’OR National Sports Complex eMauritius. Umdlalo uzoba ngeSonto ngo-1 emini, kanti umlenze wesibili uzodlalwa ngoLwesihlanu ebusuku e-Orlando Stadium, eSoweto.
Umqeqeshi wePirates, uJose Riveiro, ubhekene nengcindezi enkulu yokuletha impumelelo eqenjini kulandela ukuwina kwakhe izindebe ezine kumasizini amabili edlule. Nakuba ehlulekile ukuhamba ibanga elide kwiChampions League ngesizini edlule, abalandeli basenamathemba okuthi angaxosha ukhondolo lweqembu kule sizini.
UKaputeni wePirates, uMaela, uveze ukuthi leliqembu alizanga ukuzosina amahleza eMauritius. Wathi yize bedlala neqembu abangazi kakhulu ngalo, bazogxila eqhingeni labo lokudlala futhi badlale ngakho konke okusemandleni abo ukuze bazibeke endaweni enhle yomlenze wesibili.
IDisciples FC, ngenxa yokushoda kwezingqalasizinda eMadagascar, izodlala eMauritius, kanti lokhu kungase kube yinzuzo yePirates ekubeni ezodlala ngaphandle kwabalandeli beqembu laseMadagascar. Maela ubonge ulwazi abaluqoqe ekhempini yaseSpain, wathi ukuqala kahle ngokushaya amagoli ekuhambeni kuzosiza iqembu labo ukwenza kahle emlenzeni wesibili.
Ibhadi lesizini edlule, lapho iPirates yakhishwa yiJwaneng Galaxy, lisekhumbuzweni labo, kanti bafuna ukuvikela izifundo abazifundile ukuze bafeze amaphupho abo kwiCaf Champions League.