Pirates Draw Simba and Berkane as Durban City Face Tough CAF Group-Stage Test

Orlando Pirates have drawn familiar adversaries RS Berkane and Simba SC in a demanding CAF Champions League group, while Durban City’s first Confederation Cup group campaign will bring meetings with AS FAR, Azam FC and Al Ahly Tripoli. Cameroon’s Colombe Sportive complete Pirates’ Group C following Wednesday’s draws in Cairo.

For South Africa’s two remaining representatives, the challenge has changed. Getting through a qualifying tie has earned each club six more matches, but reaching the quarterfinals will require sustained results against opponents with very different levels of continental experience.

The Confirmed CAF Groups

Our report on Pirates’ passage into the group stage covered the qualification breakthrough. CAF’s completed Champions League draw and separate Confederation Cup draw now confirm these groups:

Berkane and Simba Give Pirates Familiar Problems

Berkane offer an immediate measure of the standard. Champions League semifinalists in 2025/26 and three-time Confederation Cup winners, they beat Pirates on penalties in the 2022 Confederation Cup final. Under new coach Bubista, they have reached this group stage by beating Star Sport Academy 3–0 on aggregate without conceding.

Simba, coached by Steve Barker, bring another recent continental final to the group after finishing Confederation Cup runners-up in 2025. Their 9–1 aggregate qualifying win over 15 de Agosto shows current attacking output, although the opposition must be weighed before treating that score as a forecast against Pirates.

There’s history here too. Pirates eliminated Simba on penalties after a 1–1 aggregate quarterfinal in 2022. That close contest offers a better warning about the Tanzanian assignment than any assumption that domestic form will travel unchanged.

Colombe are the group-stage newcomers, but consecutive Cameroonian league titles and a 3–0 aggregate victory over Teungueth qualify that label. Their debut gives Pirates a less familiar opponent to study, rather than six points to put in the bank.

Abdeslam Ouaddou has attacking options making contributions. Tshepang Moremi’s two goals and assist drove Tuesday’s 3–0 win over Milford, which also brought a third consecutive home clean sheet. Evidence Makgopa had scored twice against African Stars. Maintaining those combinations while sharing the workload will matter when the home-and-away programme begins.

Durban City Meet a Steeper Test of Their Progress

The historic qualification win over AS Port Louis 2000 established City’s place in this competition. The 6–1 aggregate margin gives Eric Tinkler a successful starting point, but Group B will ask substantially more of his side.

AS FAR, also named Royal Armed Forces in CAF’s draw, are former African champions and 2005 Confederation Cup winners with recent Champions League final experience. They advanced past CO Korhogo 2–1 on aggregate. City will face an opponent accustomed to competing beyond the preliminary rounds.

Azam are returning for a second successive group campaign. Last season they won three matches and lost three, yet finished third: nine points did not buy qualification. Their latest tie was settled by a 1–0 home victory after drawing 1–1 away to Egypt’s ZED, evidence of their ability to manage a narrow contest.

Al Ahly Tripoli reached the 2022 Confederation Cup semifinals and have just eliminated Welwalo Adigrat 8–1 on aggregate. CAF records their latest home qualifier at Tripoli’s 11 March Stadium. That is useful recent venue context, although City’s own group fixtures and venues still await confirmation.

Wednesday also supplied a domestic setback. City lost 2–0 to Stellenbosch in the Carling Knockout and now face Sundowns on Saturday. Tinkler must prepare for Africa while keeping the league campaign moving; four qualifying wins cannot insulate his side from the demands between continental trips.

Six Matchdays to Secure a Top-Two Finish

Each club plays its three opponents home and away. The top two in each four-team group advance to the quarterfinals, with three points for a win and one for a draw. Home results give both South African clubs a practical foundation; the points needed will depend on the other results.

CAF’s published windows, also confirmed in Durban City’s draw announcement, are:

These are matchday windows, not confirmed dates or kick-off times for individual fixtures. The sequence of home games and trips will help determine recovery time and rotation. Pirates first have Saturday’s Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium to negotiate.

The Betting Read

Pirates have a credible qualification opportunity, supported by their recent defensive record and several attacking contributors. Berkane’s semifinal pedigree and Simba’s recent final appearance make a short qualification price harder to justify on reputation alone. Colombe’s domestic success also deserves proper weight.

At home, a Pirates match-win selection would interest us if the strongest attacking combinations start and the price fairly reflects the opponent’s away record. In Morocco or Tanzania, compare any available double-chance option with the outright away win, then assess whether Pirates retain enough attacking threat to support that choice. A draw can help a group campaign, but doesn’t make draw cover good value at any price.

City face the larger step relative to their own experience. Azam’s nine-point elimination last season shows why a few targeted victories cannot become a guaranteed qualification plan. Nor should Al Ahly’s heavy qualifying score automatically drive a goals bet against stronger opposition.

Our South African sports betting guide explains how to compare markets and decimal prices. The draw gives us opponents to assess; the confirmed fixture order, venues and team sheets will turn that assessment into firmer match decisions.

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