Orlando Pirates are gearing up for a pivotal TotalEnergies CAF Champions League semi-final showdown, hosting the in-form Pyramids FC of Egypt at the Orlando Stadium this evening.
The Buccaneers, enjoying a rich vein of form under head coach Jose Riveiro, are on a mission to emulate the feats of past Pirates generations, including the celebrated 1995 champions and the 2013 finalists.
Form Guide
Under the guidance of outgoing head coach Jose Riveiro, South African cup kings Orlando Pirates have flourished, collecting silverware and playing with a sense of real purpose. Already crowned MTN8 champions this season, they’ve secured a spot in the Nedbank Cup final—where they’ll face fierce rivals Kaizer Chiefs—and remain firmly in the Betway Premiership title race. Indeed, the dream of a treble is alive and well in Soweto.
Read: Sundowns vs Al Ahly Preview
Standing in their wake of continental success is a Pyramids FC side that has also impressed on their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League journey. Managed by Krunoslav Jurcic, the Egyptian outfit will be without key attacker Ibrahim Adel due to injury, a factor Orlando Pirates will undoubtedly look to exploit.
Nevertheless, Pyramids arrive as leaders of a highly competitive Egyptian Premier League, having suffered just one league defeat in a remarkable 2024/25 season where they are locked in a tight title race with Al Ahly. Their TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaign has also been strong, with only one group stage loss and a second-place finish in Group D on equal points with Esperance.
As the first leg unfolds in Soweto, Orlando Pirates will be determined to leverage their home support and secure a crucial advantage heading into the return fixture in the Egyptian capital.
What they said
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro told the media, “In my point of view, the fact that they lead in the domestic league, doing well in the cup competitions, as well brilliant participation in the Champions League this season tells a lot about them.
“Afterall, analysing them and knowing a little bit about the way they play football and their complexity that will require to stop them, tomorrow I can tell you they not in the semi-finals like I think the rest of us in the competition – [Al] Ahly and Mamelodi Sundowns – we are not here by chance.
“We are here because we were doing the things very well all the way through the competition and it’s a difficult team to control in defence. A lot of talent in the front four – experience.
“They know very well and they master the way they trying to play their football in possession. So, we know about the importance of make sure that tomorrow we can be in our best version otherwise universal version is not going to be enough.
“So, we accept the challenge, we ready to go, we really want to test ourselves one more time in this moment of the competition.
“And let’s see, let’s see how good can we be on the day and for sure it’s gonna be an equal game, it’s the semi-final of the Champions League, that’s what I can tell you right now about them without saying so much.”
How to watch
The TotalEnergies CAF Champions League match is scheduled to kick-off at 18:00 on Saturday, 19 April 2025 and will be carried live on the public broadcaster’s radio stations for commentary.
The match will be broadcast live on satellite TV giants SuperSport channel 209 and can also be streamed on Showmax, with the build-up set to commence an hour prior to kick off.
Additionally, the match will be broadcast live on SABC 2 and can be streamed on SABC Plus and SABC Sport digital platforms.
Orlando Stadium
The 40 000 seater stadium will host the TotalEnergies CAF Champions League clash between Orlando Pirates and Pyramids. The Soweto based stadium is expected to be filled to the rafters, as is the case when Pirates take to the pitch.
The stadium was refurbished to a state-of-the-art stadium ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup and was used as one of the training venues for the global spectacle.
Betting odds (supplied by Hollywoodbets)
To win (90 min)
Orlando Pirates 9/10 | Draw 33/20 | Pyramids 37/10
With Jose Riveiro confirming he will be closing his Orlando Pirates chapter in the coming weeks, this represents a chance for him to cement his place among Africa’s elite. For the Bucs faithful, this revival has been long awaited after years in the continental wilderness.
Pyramids, meanwhile, are looking to complete their rapid rise by reaching a final in just their first TotalEnergies CAF Champions League campaign, but could experience difficulty at a hostile Orlando Stadium
Back Pirates and over 2.5 goals at 26/10!