DStv Premiership champions Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates have met their opponents in the Preliminary Round of the 24/25 TotalEnergies CAF Champions League, and Bucs could get a chance to avenge their heartbreak of last season.
Sundowns kick off their campaign in the 2nd Preliminary Round, taking on the winner between Mbabane Swallows from Eswatini and Clube Ferroviario Da Beira from Mozambique.
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Meanwhile, Pirates will be aiming to put on an improved showing after failing to progress to the group stages last season.
This time around, they will take on Disciples FC from Madagascar in the 1st Preliminary Round, and will then play the winner between African Stars of Namibia and Jwaneng Galaxy, who knocked them out last time out.
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— Sahil Ebrahim (@sahil_e_) September 29, 2023
Orlando Pirates are doing everything but the ball just won't go in. Zakhele Lepasa yet again with a glorious opportunity to score here.
55 mins gone
Orlando Pirates 0-0 Jwaneng Galaxy pic.twitter.com/jZmXUJHaFB
Should they progress, the Buccaneers will no doubt remember the heartbreaking scenes at Orlando Stadium in September 2023, where the Botswana outfit sent them crashing out of continental football for the season via a penalty shootout, after the two teams had played to a 1-1 aggregate scoreline over the two legs.
The possible mouth-watering tie rest on the condition that both Galaxy and Pirates win their 1st Preliminary Round matches.
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Meanwhile, Sundowns will also have scores of their own to settle of having been bundled out of the Champions League at the semi-final stage twice in the last two seasons. This apparently did not go down too well with the hierarchy, who pulled the trigger on head coach Rulani Mokwena despite winning the African Football League and DStv Premiership.
Champions remains the Holy Grail.
All of this means The Brazilians will will have a different captain steering the ship, with Manqoba Mngqithi having been installed as head coach, though it's not yet clear if that's only for pre-season or the long haul.
Steve Komphela has since been re-hired to serve as Senior Coach.