The much anticipated second leg decider is scheduled to take place on 4 October at the New Suez Stadium, with kick-off set for 8:30pm, in Suez City, Egypt.
The match will decide who goes through to the finals of the Caf competition. The Soweto giants have an upper hand, having triumphed in the first home leg of the competition two weeks ago with a slender 1-0 victory to take to Suez City.
But the most decorated Egyptian club in African continental football cannot be written off as yet, as they can easily turn the tables against Buccaneers on home soil.
Pirates head coach Eric Tinkler and his charges, who headed off to Egypt on 1 October, will have to guard against a lackluster performance similar to that displayed against Al Ahly rivals, Zamalek, in the final group stages match.
The whole South African nation will be behind the Buccaneers who are expected to come guns blazing and shoot from all the cylinders if they are to overcome the Egyptians who are a hard nut to crack at home.
The million dollar question in everybody’s lips is whether the Buccaneers can make three against Al Ahly, a team they beat in their own backyard once in the first leg of the finals of the Caf Champions League a season ago.
They have just beaten them again in the first leg of the Caf Confederations Cup, this time at the iconic Orlando Stadium in Orlando East, Soweto and they need a minimum result of a draw to qualify for the finals.
A massive loss will see them booted but the good news is that Rooi Mahamutsa, who captained the side in Pirates’ 1-0 win over the Red Devils, as Al Ahly is affectionately known at home, is well aware of what to expect.
“We’re expecting the hosts to come out fighting but we will equally take the game to them,” said a cautiously optimistic Mahamutsa, of his team’s chances of inflicting more pain on their north African rivals.
“We expect a tough encounter in Egypt. Al Ahly is a good side but they are under pressure to produce a positive result at home. I am expecting a more attacking approach from them and a high tempo match as well, which should suit our style of play,” said Mahamutsa.
Sunday’s clash will be the sixth time Pirates and Al Ahly have met, with Pirates having won twice and only lost once but with the likes of Mpho Makola, Thamsanqa Gabuza, Oupa Manyisa and Patrick Phungwayo at their elements, the nearly impossible can happen.
