Orlando Pirates Thrash African Stars to Return to CAF Champions League Group Stage

By Angu Lesley

Football Writer,kick442.com-Cameroon

Orlando Pirates have returned to the CAF Champions League group stage after producing a commanding 4-0 victory over Namibian champions African Stars in the second leg of their second preliminary-round tie on Friday night. The South African giants completed a 5-0 aggregate triumph at Orlando Amstel Arena to book their place among Africa’s top 16 clubs for the 2026/27 campaign.

Having secured a narrow 1-0 victory in the first leg in Botswana, Pirates returned home knowing that another disciplined performance would be enough to seal qualification. The Buccaneers, however, went beyond simply protecting their advantage, delivering an attacking display that left African Stars struggling to cope with their intensity and movement in the final third.

Thapelo Mokobodi opened the scoring in the 17th minute, finishing off a move initiated by Simphiwe Masilela to give the hosts a two-goal aggregate advantage. Evidence Makgopa then doubled the lead on the stroke of half-time, converting a well-timed pass from Masilela to leave the Namibian visitors facing an increasingly difficult task.

The contest was effectively settled immediately after the restart when teenage forward Mpho Padime scored with his first touch after coming off the bench. Makgopa completed his brace in the 77th minute, finishing a cross from Deon Hotto to cap an impressive individual performance and confirm Pirates’ emphatic passage into the group stage.

The qualification represents a significant step forward for Pirates, who missed out on the group stage last season after being eliminated by DR Congo’s St Éloi Lupopo. Under coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, the Soweto giants will now turn their attention towards challenging for continental honours, with their last CAF Champions League title dating back to 1995. The result also leaves African Stars’ long search for a place in the competition’s group stage unresolved, while Pirates emerge as South Africa’s sole representatives in this season’s group phase following Mamelodi Sundowns’ shock elimination by Angola’s Wiliete SC.