CAF Champions League
CAF Champions League: Orlando Pirates coach regrets missed chances in Al-Ahly draw
“We lacked the opportunities we had, especially in the first half,” said Orlando Pirates coach Jose Rivero after his team’s goalless draw against Al-Ahly in the CAF Champions League on Saturday.
Despite controlling much of the game in the opening 45 minutes, the South African side was unable to capitalize on their chances, leaving Rivero frustrated with the missed opportunities.
In a tense encounter at the Orlando Stadium, both teams struggled to find the back of the net, despite creating several chances throughout the match.
Rivero admitted that while his team’s performance was solid, especially in defense, the failure to score was a key disappointment.
“We played a strong match until the end against a competitor with long experience in the Champions League,” he said.
“Not achieving victory is the only negative point.”
The Pirates were the better side in the first half, with several key chances to take the lead.
However, as the game progressed, Al-Ahly, led by Swiss coach Marcel Koller, found their rhythm and put pressure on the hosts.
Yet, the Egyptian giants were also unable to convert their opportunities. “We created several chances in front of Orlando Pirates’ goal, and the opponent also had several attempts,” said Koller after the match.
Despite the draw, both coaches found positives in their teams’ performances. Koller, while acknowledging the missed opportunities, expressed satisfaction with the point gained on the road.
“Each team got a valuable point in the tournament, and we will close the chapter on this match,” he remarked.
With this result, Al-Ahly remains top of Group C on goal difference, level on points with Orlando Pirates, who will now turn their attention to their upcoming matches.
Rivero noted that he would shift his focus to the local league before preparing for the next round of Champions League fixtures, against Stade d’Abidjan.
Meanwhile, Koller will look to refine his team’s finishing ahead of their next encounter in the group stage.
The Confederation of African Football (CAF) will conduct the quarter-final draws for the 2025/26 editions of its two flagship interclub competitions — the CAF Champions League and the CAF Confederation Cup — on Tuesday, 17 February 2026, at the headquarters of the Egyptian Football Association in Cairo.
The CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final draw is scheduled to begin at 13:00 Cairo time (11:00 GMT), followed by the CAF Champions League quarter-final draw at 14:00 Cairo time (12:00 GMT).
The ceremonies will be broadcast live on CAF’s official YouTube platform, CAF TV, allowing fans across the continent and beyond to follow proceedings in real time.
Road to the Finals Takes Shape
The draws will determine not only the quarter-final pairings but also the pathway to the finals in both competitions, effectively mapping out the remaining knockout journey for Africa’s elite clubs.
With the group stages concluded, the quarter-finals mark the beginning of direct elimination football — a phase traditionally defined by tactical discipline, squad depth and mental resilience. Clubs will be keenly watching the draw to gauge potential heavyweight clashes or favourable routes to the semi-finals.
In the Champions League, former title holders and emerging contenders alike will be hoping to avoid early confrontations against continental heavyweights. Similarly, in the Confederation Cup, where competitive balance has grown in recent seasons, the draw could produce intriguing North-South or West-East showdowns.
Strategic Importance for Clubs
Beyond sporting prestige, progression to the latter stages of CAF competitions carries significant financial incentives, enhanced continental ranking points and increased global visibility. With African club football enjoying expanded broadcast reach and commercial partnerships, success in these tournaments has become both a sporting and economic objective.
Hosting the draws at the Egyptian FA headquarters in Cairo reinforces the city’s status as a nerve centre of African football administration, as clubs await clarity on their next assignments in what promises to be a decisive knockout phase of the 2025/26 campaign.
All eyes will now turn to Cairo as Africa’s road to continental glory becomes clearer.
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Moroccan side RS Berkane delivered a commanding 3–0 victory over Rivers United FC to book their place in the knockout stages of the competition.
Berkane imposed themselves early and broke the deadlock in the 35th minute when Youssef Mehri fired into the bottom corner following a swift attacking move.
The hosts doubled their lead seven minutes later as Paul Valère Bassène finished clinically after being played through by Mounir Chouiar, leaving Rivers United with a mountain to climb before halftime.
The contest was effectively settled eight minutes into the second half. Bassène grabbed his second of the night in the 53rd minute, converting from close range after a corner to put the result beyond doubt.
Berkane maintained control for the remainder of the match, limiting Rivers United to speculative efforts and half-chances before comfortably seeing out the encounter.
With the results, Pyramids FC finish top of Group A, while RS Berkane join them in the knockout phase as runners-up, bringing the group stage to a decisive conclusion.
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Reigning CAF Champions League holders Pyramids FC signed off their group-stage campaign in style with a 3–1 victory over Power Dynamos FC on Matchday 6 to secure top spot in Group A.
The Egyptian side made a bright start and went ahead in the 16th minute when Mostafa Ziko rose highest to head home from a corner, underlining their early dominance.
Power Dynamos responded almost immediately. Frederick Mulambia restored parity a minute later, finishing from close range after a well-worked cross to briefly unsettle the hosts.
However, Pyramids regained control midway through the first half. In the 33rd minute, Youssef Obama reacted quickest inside the penalty area to restore the lead, sending the defending champions into the break 2–1 ahead.
The decisive moment came in the 59th minute when Ewerton unleashed a superb right-footed strike from outside the box that nestled into the bottom corner, extending the advantage to 3–1.
Despite late substitutions and sporadic pressure from the visitors, Pyramids managed proceedings comfortably to claim all three points and finish the group stage at the summit.
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