Orlando Pirates reach CAF Cup quarter-finals despite red card

Full-back Ntsikelelo Nyauza scored with a powerful header as South African club Orlando Pirates reached the CAF Confederation Cup quarter-finals on Sunday with a 2-0 win over JS Saoura in Algeria.

Nyauza struck on 48 minutes and Kabelo Dlamini doubled the lead just three minutes later with a clinical side-footed finish at the national stadium in Algiers.

There was no way back for Saoura even after Pirates were reduced to 10 men 14 minutes from time when Goodman Mosele was sent off after being yellow-carded twice.

Midfielder Mosele, who is in the South Africa squad for a friendly against world champions France in Lille on March 29, should have been red-carded earlier for deliberately kicking an opponent.

The fiery matchday 5 Group B clash threatened to get out of control several times with both clubs desperately seeking maximum points.

Pirates have 12 points, Al Ittihad of Libya 10, Saoura seven and Royal Leopard of Eswatini none ahead of the final matches on April 3.

Leopard led Ittihad in Benghazi before losing 3-2 as Libyan international Sanad al Warfali scored his second goal of a thriller in the third minute of added time.

If Pirates beat Ittihad in Soweto, Saoura will squeeze through on head-to-head records by defeating Leopard, who stage home games in South Africa because their ground does not meet international standards.

The winners and runners-up in the four groups advance to the knockout phase in the African equivalent of the UEFA Europa League, which Raja Casablanca of Morocco won last season.

Pirates were among four clubs to qualify on Sunday with Al Masry of Egypt, TP Mazembe of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Al Ahly Tripoli of Libya also ensuring top-two finishes in their groups.