Can the Mighty Buccaneers overcome the slick Tunisians?

After the epic battle of north verse south at Orlando Stadium this past weekend, ending in a one-all draw, the second leg final is scheduled to be played in Sousse, Tunisia, on 29 November.

The final will see the Mighty Buccaneers face off against Etoile Sportive du Sahel.

The kick-off is set for 7.30pm and the entire continent is excited about the potentially-explosive crescendo that will see the conclusion of the ongoing feud of technique versus flair finally settled.

The Mighty Buccaneers have a mountain to climb if they are to taste championship glory and reach the summit of African football; a feat which will require a herculean effort from the entire team.

Orlando Pirates forwards Kermit Erasmus, Thamsanqa Gabuza, and Mpho Makola are among those who have put up their hands and accepted the challenge that lies ahead.

“It’s no secret that, by conceding at home, we gave them the advantage, and we are also aware that they are a very good team at home. Like most north African teams, they have good technical ability and they are tall, however that does not make them better than us.

“We have skill, speed and agility on our side. The fact that there is a bit of added pressure makes no difference. We are professionals and we know how to deal with it.

“Personally, I welcome it because it drives me to be a better player. My job is to score goals and that is just what needs to be done,” said Erasmus, on whose shoulders lie the burden of success for the Soweto giants.

“When the class of ’95 went to Abidjan, they conceded two goals at home. The guys believed and backed themselves to do the impossible… All it took was just one goal, and the rest is history.

“This group has some of the best players in the country. We have given everything through our current Caf journey and now we have nothing to lose. We simply have to go there and get back that away goal,” added Erasmus.

Makola said, “We have been working hard and preparing for the second leg. The technical team has taken us through the video analysis from the past game and we have worked on a plan.

“We have seen that they have weaknesses which we did not exploit last time, and now we have to apply ourselves better to make them count.

“We will look to catch them out on that. We’re going out there to do our best, and if we keep focused, we too can achieve the impossible, just like the class of ’95.”

Suspended for this match is Thandani Ntshumayelo, who picked up two yellow cautions in the competition. However, the Buccaneers still have enough players to step in and do the job.