Pirates coach Zinnbauer aiming to emulate Chiefs, Sundowns with CAF triumph

Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer says his team are looking forward to representing South Africa when the Bucs get their Caf Confederation Cup campaign underway, adding that they want to emulate Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs by claiming all three points.

Downs and Chiefs picked up Caf Champions’ League group stage victories at the weekend as the Brazilians triumphed in Lubumbashi, DR Congo, when they defeated TP Mazembe 2-1 in Group B. Meanwhile Amakhosi picked up their first ever victory in the competition with a 2-0 victory over Petro Atletico de Luanda, of Angola, in their Group C clash at the FNB Stadium at the weekend.

The Buccaneers will now get their own continental action underway with their Group A opening game against ES Setif of Algeria at the Accra Sports Stadium in Ghana on Wednesday evening. (9pm SA time).

Pirates coach Zinnbauer, speaking before the game, said his team are focused on what promises to be a difficult task, but will draw confidence from the success of their PSL rivals.

“My team is focusing on the next game. I am happy when Sundowns and Chiefs win in Africa, but our focus is on the next game. It is going to be a difficult one. We have to recover and see who is available to play. We have to fly out to Ghana,” said Zinnbauer.

“We get more self-confidence if the other teams are doing well and we get better players in the country and the league. Tomorrow, when we go to Ghana we represent SA and the other teams did well before us,” he said.

“We will see which player is fit and I am happy that the injured players are back. We have more options to choose from for the Setif game,” added the German on injuries.