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Enyimba FC and Orlando Pirates conclude their Caf Confederation Cup Group A campaign when they clash in a high-stakes match at Enyimba International Stadium in Aba on today.

Pirates down Enyimba, Ahly Benghazi defeats Setif in Cairo | Total CAF Confederation Cup | CAFOnline.com

It is a crucial encounter as each side faces either elimination or progression to the Caf Confederation Cup quarter-finals.

Interestingly, all teams in this group still have a chance of reaching the knockout stage of this competition.

Currently, with six points from five games, hosts and third-placed Enyimba need nothing short of victory to confirm their place in the last-eight.

At least a draw would be good enough for group leaders Pirates to advance without worrying about the result from the other match between basement side ES Setif and Al Ahli Benghazi on the same night.

But if the Buccaneers lose, they would now have to pray that Setif beat second-placed Al Ahli Benghazi to entertain chances of going further.

It is not looking good for Enyimba coach Fatai Osho who guides his troops into battle without suspended captain Austin Oladapo.

HIGHLIGHTS | Orlando Pirates FC 2 - 1 Enyimba FC | Matchday 2 | #TotalCAFCC - YouTube

The attacking midfielder is their leading scorer in this competition with three goals from seven appearances and is out after picking his third yellow card in the 1-0 defeat by Al Ahli Benghazi last week.

Also not available for Enyimba are centre-back Nelson Ogbonnaya, Dayo Ojo and Beninese midfielder Jean-Marie Guera who are nursing injuries.

But what could be some positive news for Osho is the return of the quartet of Farouk Mohammed, Samad Kadiri, Hassan Abubakar, and Imoh Obot.

Osho, however, said he will not hurry some of the returnees to start since they are coming from long injury lay-offs.

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has his selection options for the central defence and left-back widened following the return of Innocent Maela who sat on the bench against Swallows FC last Saturday after missing five games across all competitions due to injury.

After Siyabonga Mpontshane was injured in the 0-0 draw against Setif seven days ago, Zinnbauer has reserve goalkeeper Elson Sithole deputising Wayne Sandilands and would be praying for the experienced gloveman not to get injured throughout the Enyimba match.

Thembinkosi Lorch is still out injured as well as Zakhele Lepasa and DR Congo forward Jean-Marc Makusu, a situation that leaves the coach with Frank Mhango and Tshegofatso Mabaso as the only available strikers.

This is the first time for Pirates to visit Enyimba since July 2006 when the two sides clashed in a Caf Champions League Group B game.

The match ended in a 1-1 draw in Aba and Enyimba had to come from behind to secure a point against the Soweto giants.

In the return fixture two months later, Enyimba visited Pirates who edged them 1-0 with former People’s Elephant forward Onyekachi Okonkwo haunting his former team by grabbing Pirates’ winner.

The Buccaneers then continued with their dominance over Enyimba by winning 2-1 in the reverse fixture of the current campaign at Orlando Stadium on March 17.

While the Nigerians have struggled against Pirates, they, however, boast an encouraging record against South African teams in their own backyard.

In 2005 they beat Cape Town Spurs [then known as Ajax Cape Town] 2-0 in a Champions League group stage encounter.

What could worry Pirates is that the People’s Elephant upstaged Mamelodi Sundowns 3-1 in a Champions League Group B final match in Port Harcourt, interestingly in 2016, a season when Masandawana went on to clinch the continental title.

Then in 2018, Enyimba drew 1-1 against Bidvest Wits in the Confederation Cup, before dismissing TS Galaxy 2-1 in the same competition the following year.

This time around, Pirates arrived in Nigeria unbeaten in Group A and they face an Enyimba side which has been blowing hot and cold in this campaign in which they have lost three times already although they are yet to be defeated at home.

What would disappoint Pirates in the event that they lose is succumbing to a team coming from two straight defeats in North Africa and having their unbeaten record broken at the final hurdle.

Enyimba head coach Fatai Osho insists his team is well prepared for Wednesday’s CAF Confederation Cup away clash against South Africa’s Orlando Pirates.

Enyimba head coach Fatai Osho

The Peoples Elephant will look to build on their impressive 2-1 home win against Ahli Benghazi of Libya on matchday one when they come up against the Buccaneers at the 37,000 capacity Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

Enyimba lost 1-0 to Pirates on their previous visit to the Orlando Stadium in 2006, but Osho insists things will be different this time around.

“Orlando Pirates play good football and move the ball quickly too, they can play their way out in difficult situations, their speed of play is in abundance as well; it is going to be a tough task but we are very prepared for this,” he told Enyimbafc.net

The captain of the team, Austine Oladapo, who scored a superb goal against Ahli Benghazi is also upbeat they can beat their hosts.

“The game against Ahly Benghazi was a good game for us and a morale booster, the game has built our confidence and we will love to continue our winning run,” Oladapo told the club website

“The game is a big battle because whosoever wins goes top of the group, Pirates are a good side but we are here (South Africa) for a win.”

Enyimba will be boosted by the return of striker Tosin Omoyele who missed their last game in the competition due to suspension.

However, Sadiq Abubakar who also missed the opening group game will face a late fitness test ahead of the trip.

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer says “it does not look good” for goalkeeper Richard Ofori, who has an undisclosed muscle injury ahead of Wednesday’s Caf Confederation Cup group A match against Enyimba at Orlando Stadium.

Ofori was taken off 15 minutes into the 0-0 draw against ES Setif last week in their group opener in neutral Accra and was replaced by Siyabonga Mpontshane.

The Ghana vice-captain is now racing against time to be fit for the Enyimba match, but his coach is not painting an encouraging picture.

“I don’t have 100 percent information but it’s a muscle problem. I think it was bad, but we will get more information in the next few days, but it does not look good,” said Zinnbauer as per Phakaaathi.

The German tactician might, however, not be too worried about the goalkeeper’s possible absence as he has apt cover inexperienced the Wayne Sandilands and Mpontshane.

Apart from Ofori, Zinnbauer is also facing the grim prospect of missing some infield players he did not name.

The coach has given an impression of an injury-hit camp affected by the Setif match.

“We have injured players and we get some players back, you saw Tshegofatso Mabasa came in, but we don’t have muscle problems, we have broken legs and swollen ankles,” Zinnbauer continued.

“The ankles are a problem at the moment. We have a lot of players who have broken toes. It’s not a muscle problem or an intensity problem or even a conditioning problem. The problem is always in the duel.”

It is not yet clear if striker Zakhele Lepasa has returned from injury to boost Zinnbauer’s attacking options.

With Jean-Marc Makusu injured, Frank Mhango and Mabasa are the preferred choices to play up front.

The two, however, were on the bench against Setif with midfielder Linda Mntambo starting as a number nine before he was replaced by Mabasa, while Mhango sat out the match.

The status of star midfielder Thembinkosi Lorch is yet to be updated. Pirates are looking for their first win of this group.

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