Jele hopes fans’ return will help Pirates do well in Confed Cup

After welcoming back their supporters for the first time since early 2020, Orlando Pirates captain Happy Jele believes the presence of the Ghost will help them to do well in the Caf Confederation Cup.

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The Buccaneers sealed their spot at the top of their group after playing to goalless draw with Libyan outfit Al-Ittihad at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday night, with the Buccaneers’ passage to the quarterfinals already secured.

Jele and company picked up 13 points from six games, and if Sunday’ds game wasn’t much to write home about, the club’s fans happy to see their side play in front of them. And the feeling was mutual.

“It felt good to play in front of the supporters, they are the people who cherish us each and every game, pushing us so that we can get results,” said the Bucs skipper.

“We are going to the quarterfinals, we are happy, we just have to focus (going forward). To the beautiful Buccaneers (fans), please continue to support us the way you’ve been doing. We missed you and please come to the stadium and support us, we need you guys. We are the ones who are supposed to get the Confederation Cup trophy. We need you guys so that we can please you.”

The result also saw Ittihad qualifying for the last eight of the tournament after finishing the group phase in second place with 11 points, while third placed JS Saoura of Algeria managed only 10 points and eSwatini club Royal Leopards found the going very tough in their first time playing in the group stages. Leopards ended with no points after losing all of their six games.

With a quarterfinals place sealed, the Soweto giants will now be turning their full focus to the domestic campaign.

Pirates will now take on Sekhukhune United in the DStv Premiership at Ellis Park tomorrow.

Having played 23 games and with 35 points collected in the league, the Buccaneers are on a mission to finish second, and only five points separates them with from second-placed Royal AM, with only seven games to the end of the season.