No Easy Ride: Pirates Need Miracle to Stay in CAF Champions League

Pirates face daunting task to overturn 3-goal deficit

Orlando Pirates are in a precarious position, as no South African club has ever overcome a three-goal deficit after the first leg of an African club competition tie.

Orlando Pirates suffered a significant setback in their CAF Champions League campaign...

The task is daunting, but Orlando Pirates must set a new record to advance in the CAF Champions League. No South African club has previously overcome a three-goal deficit after the first leg of an African club competition tie, and Pirates are now facing an uphill battle to stay in the tournament.

Pirates face a potential financial loss of at least R10 million if they fail to progress to the group phase, which offers a minimum of $700,000 in prize money. In contrast, elimination in the knockout phase would earn them a significantly lower $100,000.

Orlando Pirates suffered a significant setback in their CAF Champions League campaign, losing 3-0 to St. Eloi Lupopo in Lubumbashi. This substantial deficit puts immense pressure on the South African club to mount a remarkable comeback in the return leg.

The task ahead of Pirates is daunting, as no South African club has ever overturned a 3-0 deficit in a continental competition knockout tie. Their defeat adds to the growing list of South African clubs that have struggled in away matches, marking the seventh time a team from the country has conceded three or more goals in the first leg of a knockout round.

Kaizer Chiefs have experienced similar struggles in the past. In 2005, they suffered a 4-0 thrashing at the hands of Espérance in the Champions League third round and were eliminated despite a 2-1 win in the return leg.

A similar fate befell Chiefs in 2014 when they lost 3-0 away to AS Vita Club in Kinshasa. Although they staged a spirited comeback in the return leg, winning 2-0 at home, it was not enough to overturn the deficit and progress to the next stage.

Cape Town City's 2022-23 Champions League campaign serves as a recent example of the difficulty South African clubs face in overcoming significant deficits. After losing 3-0 at home to Petro Atlético in the second round, City went on to lose 1-0 in the return leg, ending their campaign.

Another notable example is SuperSport United's 2005 Confederation Cup tie against Dolphins. Despite a valiant effort in the second leg, they couldn't overcome a 4-1 deficit from the first leg, managing only a 2-2 draw at home.

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— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) October 22, 2025

Bidvest Wits' 2016 Confederation Cup tie against Azam proved to be a challenging affair. Despite fielding a strong side in the return leg, Wits couldn't overcome the 3-0 deficit from the first leg, ultimately losing 4-3 at home.

In 1997, Jomo Cosmos faced a tough opponent in Mansoura in the African Cup Winners' Cup quarterfinals. After losing 3-0 away, Cosmos staged a spirited comeback in the return leg, but a 2-2 draw was not enough to see them through to the next round.

South African clubs have shown remarkable resilience in overcoming deficits in knockout round ties. Notably, SuperSport turned the tables on Lupopo in the 2005 Confederation Cup, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to win the return leg 2-0 and advancing on penalties.

Other clubs have achieved similar comebacks, including Black Leopards, Santos, and Mamelodi Sundowns, who have all overcome two-goal deficits to win knockout ties. However, Orlando Pirates face a much steeper challenge, needing to overturn a 3-0 deficit against St Eloi Lupopool.