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Orlando Pirates on the brink of CAF Confederation Cup quarter-final qualification

Orlando Pirates are on the verge of qualifying for the quarter-finals of the CAF Confederation Cup for the third time in their history in a potentially tricky final fixture in Group A.

Pirates would have secured a place in the last-eight of the competition on Thursday if Ahly Benghazi and Enyimba played out to a draw but the Libyan side ousted the Nigerian giants 1-0 at the Benina Martyrs Stadium.

Scroll through the gallery to see the star-studded squads already qualified for the CAFCC last-eight

The result moved Ahly into second place with seven points and just two behind the Buccaneers going into the final group game on 28 April.

Josef Zinnbauer's side holds all the cards though, with a win and draw seeing them qualify as group winners and in the event that Enyimba win - it needs to surpass the 2-1 victory Pirates achieved at FNB Stadium for the head to head record.

The eight-time Nigerian league champions will be full of confidence going into the game having beaten Ahly and ES Setif at home so far in the competition with 2-1 scorelines.

Setif also still have the chance of advancing as runners-up behind Pirates should the Soweto giants beat Enyimba and the Algerian Ligue 1 side beat the unpredictable Libyan side Ahly.

Real chance of success

The motivation to secure qualification to the knockout stages could not be any higher after reigning champions RSB Berkane suffered a shock defeat to Zambian side NAPSA Stars.

The Botola side have already been dumped out at the group stage alongside Tunisian giants Etoile Du Sahel, two clubs that were touted as firm favourites for the competition.

However, fellow Moroccan club Raja Casablanca have been in record-breaking form with five wins from five, scoring 11 goals and conceding none en route to secure their last-eight berth.

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