Pirates' draw could cost their campaign

Orlando Pirates produced one of their worst performances in their 2018-19 CAF Champions League campaign when they played to a needless 2-2 draw against FC Platinum of Zimbabwe at Orlando Stadium on Friday night.

The Buccaneers make their route to the last eight of the tournament almost impossible with the last Group B match away to Horoya SC of Guinea coming up on Saturday.

Platinum, who held Pirates to a goalless stalemate in the first leg in Harare, came to this match as no-hopers, having already been eliminated after scoring no goals in three defeats and one draw in their previous four matches.

The Buccaneers, who were third and trailing Horoya by two points, wasted a wonderful opportunity to move to second in the group with eight points.

Instead, they allowed the Zimbabwean team to dominate them in their own turf in the first 45 minutes.

Pirates failed to take advantage of the fact that Horoya suffered a 2-0 defeat away to reigning champions, Esperance of Tunisia. Their draw means they now have to beat Horoya in Conakry on Saturday if they are to progress to the knockout round.

The score could have been 3-0 by half-time had it not been for Bucs keeper Wayne Sandilands, who had to pull off a brilliant save to deny Never Tigere a penalty in the 19th minute after defender Caio da Silva handled the ball inside the box.

But eight minutes later Tigere was given plenty of space and time to beat Sandilands, this time his powerful ground shot just outside the area deflecting off Bucs defender Alfred Ndengane to leave the Bucs gloveman with no chance to pull another save.

Ndengane was again guilty in Platinum's second goal in the 37th minute, allowing Perfect Chikwende to come between him and Sandilands inside the area and poked the ball to Rainsome Paviri for an easy tap in. Pirates did try to come back into the game in the second but their half-hearted attempts were not enough to defeat Platinum.

Goals by Thembinkosi Lorch in the 81st minute and Augustine Mulenga in the 87th minute came far too late to help the Buccaneers to produce a late win.