Andile Jali believes it is vital that Orlando Pirates preserve their proud home record in the Champions League as they get ready to trade blows with Egyptian powerhouse Al Ahly. Pirates start off at home in the two legged Final against the defending champions, and Jali says Bucs African safari has taught them that ‘you must never concede at home’. The Sea Robbers boast an impressive record at home, winning four and drawing three of the seven games that they have played in the competition this year. More crucial is the fact that they have leaked just three goals and scored 14 in those seven games – conceding just once at home in the last four matches against Esperance, Zamalek, Al Ahly and AC Leopards. You must understand that this is a cup final with a difference in that we have to do our best at home by trying not to concede and then play for a draw away, says Jali. The experience of keeping clean sheets at home against Tunisian titans Esperance in the semi-finals is what the robust midfielder is bargaining on going into the Final, with the first leg scheduled for Orlando Stadium. Jali also indicates that past results in the group matches, where Pirates won away and drew at home against Al Ahly, will count for nothing. In Africa it is usually difficult to beat anyone at their home so we also need to make it extremely difficult for them to even score a goal at our home like we did against Esperance, though this time we must try and win at home, Jali says. I feel it is an advantage for us to be starting at home because it gives the opportunity to try and not concede and then go out in full force for the away game. The good thing is that the away game is in a country that we have already been to twice already. Past results will not help us. For us to now go back and start thinking that it will help that we didn’t concede a goal against them in the group stages after we beat them away, drew with them at home. What we need to do now is work very hard and make sure that we don’t concede at home. This is a brand new game. They are the holders of this cup but we have to play them in this final and it has nothing to do with history and all that they did before will count for nothing because this is a new game of 11 versus 11. This is a game which involves us against them. For us it is also the last Champions League match at home so I urge all our fans to come in numbers to support us. The Bafana Bafana midfielder adds that Pirates definitely want this Champions League trophy more than the Egyptians. This is the biggest game that you can play for your club in Africa so we want it more, Jali says. For them they won it last year so for us we want it even more than them. We have played them before and they know us so it is not a big problem for us.
Posted on: Wed, 30 Oct 2013 11:41:02 +0000
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