Tough draw for Bucs in Confed group phase

Orlando Pirates will face an acid test in the CAF Confederation Cup group phase after they were drawn against strong teams yesterday.

Pirates are in Group A against Nigeria side Enyimba, ES Setif of Algeria, and Libya's Ahli Benghazi after the draw was conducted yesterday in Cairo, Egypt.

Pirates, who were finalists in this competition in 2015, losing to Etoile Sahel, are looking to do better this time by going all the way and clinching the title.

Enyimba and Al Ahli dropped into the competition after they were eliminated from the CAF Champions League. Enyimba and Setif are the two-time Champions League winners and could give the Buccaneers a big test.

Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer was excited to be part of the group stages, and is looking forward to testing his side against the big guns on the continent.

“For me, it is interesting [to be in the group stages]. You get information about other countries, and it is always important that the players get new information and get experience,” Zinnbauer told the media after their match against Botswana's Jwaneng Galaxy, whom Bucs dispatched 4-0 on aggregate to qualify for the group phase.

“As a coach, we get more input for the players, especially young players to get experience in this competition which will help them.

“It is good for the young players to get international games and that will help them to improve.”

The German mentor believes any team in the group stages can win the title and is confident his side would go far.

“It won’t be easy, we know it is not easy in the group stages, but all teams have a chance; they can win this cup. But we will see what will happen in the next coming weeks,” he said.

“It is not a wish. I don’t have information about other teams, whether in the North, West, or East Africa. We will get that information about the teams we are going to play, and we will plan around that."