In the game of football, where comparisons are always inevitable, Jose Riveiro’s Orlando Pirates have an eight-goal deficit on their predecessors from a decade ago, if they hope to at least emulate Roger de Sa’s men in the Champions League.
Ten years ago, when they reached the final of the continent’s premier club knockout competition only to lose 3-1 on aggregate to Al Ahly, Pirates kick-started their campaign with a preliminary tie against Djabal Club d’Iconi of the Comoros.
Captain Lucky Lekgwathi and his teammates were ruthless in their demolition of the islanders, the Buccaneers winning 5-0 at home and 4-0 on the road for a 9-0 aggregate victory that set them on the road to the final.
And so, when the current Pirates team were drawn to face Djabal, the discerning members of The Ghost no doubt anticipated the equivalent of a Sunday morning stroll for their club. After all, they had just witnessed their heroes saunter into the MTN8 semi-finals via a 5-0 hammering of Sekhukhune United.
Made to sweat
Djabal were thus surely due the same smashing.
But last weekend out at the Stade de Moroni in Iconi, Pirates were made to sweat for victory as they needed a late goal from substitute Zakhele Lepasa to win 1-0.
It is a result that would have left Lekgwathi and his teammates from 10 years ago lambasting the current squad for bringing shame to the famed crossbones and skull insignia.
After all, Lekgwathi and company stuck it to the Indian Ocean part-timers by rendering the tie a no-contest in the first leg via four goals from Zimbabwean Takesure Chinyama and a strike by Sifiso Myeni at Orlando Stadium.
At the time, thoughts were that they won as easily as they did because the visitors lost their goalkeeper Djabir El Hamid to injury and replaced him with outfield player Ahamada Ali.
But Pirates proved this was not the case when they went to Iconi and won 4-0.
Now, as they look to succeed where Lekgwathi and Co did not by going the distance in claiming their second continental title – following that glorious, unforgettable success from 1995 – the Sea Robbers can do with showing the rest of the Africa they mean business.
And nothing will have them being taken more seriously as contenders for the Champions League title than a hammering of the Comorians on Saturday.
Riveiro has to use his strongest team
For that to happen, coach Riveiro will have to use his strongest team, instead of resting the key players like he did in the first leg.
Lepasa must continue with his scoring form and perhaps secure that hat-trick which eluded him when they destroyed Sekhukhune.
Next up for Pirates – should they overcome Djabal, as expected – is a likely clash with Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy, who take a 2-0 lead into the second leg of their tie with Vipers of Uganda.
Whatever their showing in this year’s Champions League, the current Pirates squad have to know that they are always going to be compared to their high-achieving predecessors from the Class of 2013, who reached the Champions League final, and those legends from 1995, who were crowned champions.
IOL Sport