Pirates Set Sights on Victory Against Lupopo - Ncikazi's Game Plan

Orlando Pirates Assistant Coach Mandla Ncikazi on Mission to Win Against FC Lupopo

Orlando Pirates assistant coach Mandla Ncikazi has emphasized the team's mission for their CAF Champions League encounter against FC Saint-Éloi Lupopo — securing a victory in the first leg and preparing to finish the job in the return leg on home soil.

Scheduled for Sunday afternoon [15:00] at Stade Kibassa Maliba in the Democratic Republic of Congo, the match marks the first leg for the Pirates, who were semi-finalists last season.

The return leg will take place next Saturday at Orlando Stadium [15:00], where Ncikazi aspires to guide his team into the group stages of the tournament.

“We are prepared. We just want to control what happens within the four lines,” Ncikazi stated, reinforcing the team’s focus on the game itself.

“All other conditions outside the field should not affect us; we are used to this. Our focus is simply to advance to the next round. In the first leg, we’ll try to score, try to win, and then go home to finish the job.”

Pirates reached this stage by defeating Lesotho’s Lioli FC with an impressive aggregate score of 7–0 over two legs, both played in South Africa due to stadium certification issues in Lesotho.

“When I look at our preparation, the players seem well adapted,” Ncikazi noted, underlining the importance of control in these critical matches.

“It’s important for us to stay in control — to keep the ball as much as possible. There will be moments when we don’t have possession, but what matters is how we respond without the ball and how we use it when we have it.”