This is the second time Pirates are meeting Djabal at this stage of the competition.
Pirates thrashed Djabal 9-0 on aggregate in 2013, but on Saturday the Comoros side tried to catch their visitors on the break as they were eager to come to the second leg at the Orlando Stadium on Friday with a lead.
Bucs coach Jose Riveiro looked to give fringe players a run in this match as he started with Richard Ofori in goals, and captain Innocent Maela paired with Sandile Mthethwa at the centre of the defence.
Fortune Makaringe got a rare start to play alongside Thabang Monare in the in the middle of the park, where they were supposed to link up with Deon Hotto and Monnapule Saleng in supplying decisive balls for Nga and Relebogile Mofokeng up front.
It was, however, after the introduction of Lepasa, Phillip Ndlondlo and Kabelo Dlamini in the later stages of the game that Riveiro's team managed to get the crucial goal.
Zakhele Lepasa again proves match winner for Pirates
Image: Muzi Ntombela/BackpagePix
Zakhele Lepasa is becoming Orlando Pirates' regular match winner in the 2023-2024 campaign.
This is after he gifted the Buccaneers yet another crucial 1-0 away win in the Caf Champions League, preliminary round match against Djabal at the Stade Moroni Malouzini Stadium in Comoros on Saturday.
Lepasa came to this match having already scored five goals for the Buccaneers — two in the DStv Premiership and three in the MTN8.
And the winner against Djabal was the sixth of the season for the red hot 26-year-old Bafana Bafana striker.
Pirates had been frustrated by the home team until the substitute Lepasa found the winner three minutes from time after coming on for Cameroon striker Eva Nga.
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This is the second time Pirates are meeting Djabal at this stage of the competition.
Pirates thrashed Djabal 9-0 on aggregate in 2013, but on Saturday the Comoros side tried to catch their visitors on the break as they were eager to come to the second leg at the Orlando Stadium on Friday with a lead.
Bucs coach Jose Riveiro looked to give fringe players a run in this match as he started with Richard Ofori in goals, and captain Innocent Maela paired with Sandile Mthethwa at the centre of the defence.
Fortune Makaringe got a rare start to play alongside Thabang Monare in the in the middle of the park, where they were supposed to link up with Deon Hotto and Monnapule Saleng in supplying decisive balls for Nga and Relebogile Mofokeng up front.
It was, however, after the introduction of Lepasa, Phillip Ndlondlo and Kabelo Dlamini in the later stages of the game that Riveiro's team managed to get the crucial goal.
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Pirates are making their first appearance in the Champions league in three years after being eliminated in the preliminary round in the 2019-2020 season.
The Buccaneers otherwise have a decent record in Africa's prime club competition, having won it in 1995 after beating Ivory Coast side Asec Mimosa in an epic final where Jerry Skhosana scored the last-gasp winner in Abidjan.
Roger de Sa's team came close to emulating the 1995 Bucs team, losing 3-1 on aggregate to Egyptian giants Al Ahly.
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