African Stars coach Gerald Günther is confident his side can bounce back from their 1-0 defeat to Orlando Pirates when the two teams meet again in the return leg of their CAF Champions League preliminary-round tie this Friday.
The second leg of the 2026/27 CAF Champions League preliminary round is scheduled for Johannesburg, South Africa, on Friday, 23 October 2026, with African Stars needing to overturn a one-goal deficit to keep their continental campaign alive.
Pirates claimed a narrow first-leg win in Gaborone, Botswana, on Saturday, after an intense encounter attended by more than 15 000 supporters at the National Stadium of Botswana, as both sides battled the scorching heat.
African Stars, who went into the match as underdogs, struggled in the opening 15 minutes before settling in and taking the game to their opponents. Their improved performance helped them reach half-time with the score still goalless.
The Namibian champions grew in confidence after the break, with Willy Stephanus and Ronald Ketjijere making their presence felt in midfield. Their defence also delivered a determined performance, with South Africans Liam April and Lyema Dopolo, alongside Namibian centre-back Josef Bonifasius, limiting Pirates’ attacking opportunities.
However, a lapse in concentration in the 78th minute proved costly for the home side.
Tshepang Moroni capitalised on the opportunity to score the decisive goal for Pirates, sparking wild celebrations among the thousands of Batswana supporters who had turned out to cheer on the South African giants.
Speaking to the media after the match, Günther said African Stars had given their all but admitted that a lack of match fitness had affected the team as the game progressed.
“We really had a great second half. In the first half, we struggled a bit during the opening 25 minutes before we started playing as we had planned. The heat was also too much for the players, but what affected us most was the lack of game time, which had an impact as the match progressed,” he said.
Günther, who took charge of the team just over 25 days ago, remains optimistic about his side’s chances in the return leg. He called on the players to show resilience and urged supporters across Namibia to rally behind the team as they seek to overturn the deficit in Johannesburg.
“We will give everything physically and mentally, compete for every ball and fight for one another until the final whistle. We know how important this occasion is, and we want our supporters and the entire nation to stand behind us. We will do everything in our power to keep the African Stars flag flying high,” he said.
-Nampa
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