Group C leaders and 1995 Champions League winners Pirates face second-placed Al Ahly, who are also the defending champions, in their last group stages game in Cairo tomorrow (6pm SA time). Both teams have already qualified for the quarterfinals but finishing top of the group is what is at stake as Pirates are on 11 points, one ahead of Al Ahly.
“This [reaching the Champions League quarterfinals] is all we've always wanted to achieve as a team... this achievement is big. I don't know when was the last time this club was in the Champions League quarterfinals [the last time they were in the quarterfinals was in 2013, going all the way to the final before losing to Al Ahly],” Mabasa said.
“Hopefully, we can continue to work hard and go all the way in this tournament. We are really looking forward to going to the semifinals and we will take it from there... hopefully, we can get that second star but we are taking one game as it comes.
“Al Ahly are a big team but we are also a big team and we want to finish top of the group. We know it won't be easy, especially away from home but we believe in ourselves. We will go there and put on a show... we are up for it.”
Mabasa attributed reaching the last eight of the Champions League to the kind of preseason they had and the hunger they drew from being eliminated by less-fancied Botswana champions Jwaneng Galaxy from the preliminary stages last season.
“We've worked long and hard during preseason and now we're reaping the rewards. This is also a build-up from last season because we were eliminated early but that motivated us to want it more this season,” Mabasa said.
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Mabasa optimistic Bucs can win another CAF star
Image: Lefty Shivambu/Gallo Images
Orlando Pirates striker Tshegofatso Mabasa has high hopes that they can go all the way and win what'd be the club's second CAF Champions League title, though he insisted they were taking it one game at a time. He said their task at hand was to maintain their top spot in Group C.
Group C leaders and 1995 Champions League winners Pirates face second-placed Al Ahly, who are also the defending champions, in their last group stages game in Cairo tomorrow (6pm SA time). Both teams have already qualified for the quarterfinals but finishing top of the group is what is at stake as Pirates are on 11 points, one ahead of Al Ahly.
“This [reaching the Champions League quarterfinals] is all we've always wanted to achieve as a team... this achievement is big. I don't know when was the last time this club was in the Champions League quarterfinals [the last time they were in the quarterfinals was in 2013, going all the way to the final before losing to Al Ahly],” Mabasa said.
“Hopefully, we can continue to work hard and go all the way in this tournament. We are really looking forward to going to the semifinals and we will take it from there... hopefully, we can get that second star but we are taking one game as it comes.
“Al Ahly are a big team but we are also a big team and we want to finish top of the group. We know it won't be easy, especially away from home but we believe in ourselves. We will go there and put on a show... we are up for it.”
Mabasa attributed reaching the last eight of the Champions League to the kind of preseason they had and the hunger they drew from being eliminated by less-fancied Botswana champions Jwaneng Galaxy from the preliminary stages last season.
“We've worked long and hard during preseason and now we're reaping the rewards. This is also a build-up from last season because we were eliminated early but that motivated us to want it more this season,” Mabasa said.
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