CAF Champions League: Orlando Pirates vs El Ahly

The Mighty Buccaneers embark on a difficult task today, travelling to Egypt today to take on one of the most successful clubs in the history of the CAF Champions League, the formidable El Ahly.

The Soweto Giants depart for Egypt tonight at 21h:45 from OR Tambo Airport and are scheduled to return on Tuesday, 06 August 2013 at 07h:00.

The venue and time of this fixture were initially scheduled for the Air Force Stadium in Cairo, Egypt with kick-off being scheduled for 22h:00 H. Local time or 20h:00 GMT.

The match will now take place in El Gouna Stadium in the city of Hurghada, Egypt. Kick-off has been scheduled for 16h: 30. The match will be played behind closed doors and without spectators in view of the sanction imposed on El Ahly by CAF.

The date of the match was initially scheduled for 04 August 2013 and will remain as such after CAF turned down an application from El Ahly to have the match postponed to a different date because of Ramadan.

Orlando Pirates players Patrick Phungwayo and captain Lucky Lekgwathi will return to bolster the squad as they will be eligible to play after having served a one match suspension each against AC Leopards for receiving consecutive yellow cards and a straight red card in previous Champions League clashes respectively.

The Buccaneers recent signee and striker Kermit Erasmus will not be eligible to play for Pirates as per the CAF rules. The player Erasmus was registered on the list of players of SuperSport United in the confederation Cup 2013 and was fielded in match number 04 In CC 2013 vs. Don Bonsco (CONGO DR) and reference to Article 26 Para 9 of the Champions League regulations:

"During the same year a player is in principle only eligible to play for one and the same club in the CAF inter-club competitions. However a player even though registered on the list of a club who has not been fielded in any match of inter clubs competitions will be authorized to play for another participating club in the inter-clubs competitions during the same year so long as all the regulations are complied with."

Consequently, Erasmus cannot participate for Orlando Pirates in the Champions League 2013 due to the fact that he was fielded in match number 04 CC 2013.