LIVE: Al Ahly vs Orlando Pirates – Saturday, 18 January

Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly both secured their spots in the knockout stages of this season’s CAF Champions League after pivotal victories last weekend.

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However, any notion that the upcoming clash between the Buccaneers and the Red Devils is a mere formality would be a gross miscalculation.

With top spot in Group C still up for grabs, Saturday’s match promises to be a high-stakes encounter.

Battle for group supremacy

As it stands, Orlando Pirates lead the group with 11 points from five matches, while Al Ahly trail closely behind with 10 points after the same number of matches.

This sets the stage for a winner-takes-all showdown on Saturday, with both teams vying for the coveted first-place finish.

First or second?

With both teams competing on multiple fronts in their respective domestic campaigns, one might expect the coaches to rotate their squads to ease the burden of a congested schedule.

However, this is highly unlikely given the significance of finishing atop the group.

A first-place finish guarantees a seeded position in the knockout draw, ensuring a clash against a second-placed team from another group.

Additionally, the seeded team enjoys the advantage of hosting the decisive second leg in the knockout rounds.

This truly an advantage?

Historical trends suggest otherwise.

Over the last seven editions of the CAF Champions League, only three champions finished first in their group.

The remaining four winners emerged from second place.

Interestingly, the last time Orlando Pirates and Al Ahly crossed paths in this competition was in 2013.

Both teams advanced from Group A, which also included Egyptian giants Zamalek and AC Leopards.

That year, they met again in the final, adding another layer of intrigue to this storied rivalry.

As we prepare for this pivotal encounter, here’s an in-depth preview of what fans can expect.

Current form (Last five matches):

Al Ahly enter this match in fine form, having secured a 2-0 victory over El Gouna in the Egyptian Premier League on Wednesday.

Star man Emam Ashour scored both goals, showcasing his importance to the team.

The Red Devils are unbeaten in their last three matches across all competitions, scoring seven goals and conceding just two in the process.

Home fortress

Under Marcel Koller, Al Ahly have been formidable at home, remaining undefeated across all competitions this season.

In the matches that they have played at home, Al Ahly have scored 23 goals and only conceded six times.

And in the Champions League its 10 goals scored and only three goals conceded in the matches against Stade d’Abidjan (4-2) and CR Belouizdad (6-1).

Stats corner

• Chance creation (1st): Al Ahly lead the competition, creating 10.8 chances per game.

• Expected goals (2nd): They boast an impressive xG of 1.69, trailing only ES Tunis (1.72). Orlando Pirates are third with 1.33.

• Shots (1st): Al Ahly average 14 shots per game, the highest in the tournament, nearly double the total of 16th-placed FC Rabat (7.8). Orlando Pirates rank sixth.

• Shots on target: Al Ahly top this category too, averaging 6.8 shots on target per match, compared to Orlando Pirates’ 4.4 (3rd place).

• Key contributors: Emam Ashour and Wessam Abou Ali account for 50% of Al Ahly’s shots, with Ashour averaging four shots per game and Ali 3.5.

Key players

Emam Ashour

The 26-year-old attacking midfielder is Al Ahly’s talisman.

Despite disciplinary issues earlier this season that led to his suspension, Ashour has rebounded spectacularly.

He’s the creative heartbeat of the team, contributing four goals in the CAF Champions League and 12 goal involvements across 16 matches in all competitions.

Marwan Attia

If Ashour is the heart of Al Ahly, Marwan Attia is the brain.

At 26, the midfield maestro exhibits a level of composure reminiscent of a young Luka Modrić.

Capable of orchestrating play from deep, dribbling past opponents, or scoring key goals, Attia is a complete package.

His passing numbers underline his importance, ranking second among midfielders in the tournament with 62 completed passes per match, just behind Mamelodi Sundowns’ Teboho Mokoena (64).

With so much at stake, this promises to be a thrilling contest.

Al Ahly will look to leverage their home advantage and attacking firepower, while Orlando Pirates aim to cement their dominance atop Group C.

The tactical battle on Saturday will undoubtedly shape the trajectory of both teams’ campaigns in the CAF Champions League.

Kick-off is at 18:00 (SA time).

Sore prediction for Saturday’s Al Ahly vs Orlando Pirates encounter?

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