Orlando Pirates' history against Algerian opposition has given their CAF Champions League quarterfinal draw against MC Alger a favourable feel.
Pirates travel to Algiers for the first leg on April 1 and then play the second leg at Orlando on April 8.
Should they proceed, then they come up against either AS FAR (Morocco) or Pyramids (Egypt), putting them up for another long trip to North Africa in between dealing with their domestic commitments.
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What will be pleasing to the Ghost is what their club has done against Algerian opposition in the past in CAF club competitions.
Back in 1997, Pirates were in Group A with USM Alger and upon travelling to Algiers lost 2-1 with Dumisa Ngobe scoring for the visitors.
The second match back in South Africa ended in a 1-1 draw with Andries Sebola on target.
That was the only point earned by the Soweto giants from six games throughout that awful campaign.
There was no Algerian opposition for them until the 2020/21 CAF Confederation Cup group stage when they faced ES Setif.
Both games between the two teams in that group ended goalless, but Pirates went through to the quarterfinals.
The next Algerian opponent was JS Saoura, who were also in the same group as the men in Black and White for 2021/22 CAF Confederation Cup group stage, with the latter winning 2-0 home and away.
This season, Jose Riveiro's troops faced CR Belouizdad in the group stage and won both matches 2-1.
So, in eight games against Algerian clubs, they have won four, drawn three and lost just once.
MC Alger is the fifth Algerian opposition for Pirates and come after ending their 14-year wait to become league champions last year.
They were winners of the Champions League in 1976 and since then their best showing has been reaching the quarterfinals, which they have now done four times, including this season.
Their domestic season has been a cruise as they sit top of the Ligue 1 standings just past the halfway mark but went out in the Last 32 of the national cup.
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Zakaria Naidji, Larbi Tabti, and Mohamed Reda Halamia are some of the notable key players for the team led by Khaled Ben Yahia.
Their only ever meeting with a South African club came in the group stage of the 2007 CAF Confederation Cup when they met Platinum Stars.
The first leg was a 1-1 draw at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace with the Algerians then winning 2-0 at home.