Orlando Pirates will face off with Esperance de Tunis in the 2018/19 Caf Champions League Group B match at the Orlando Stadium Johannesburg on Saturday.
The Soweto giants are licking their wounds after being booted out of this season's Nedbank Cup after losing to Black Leopards in the round of 32.
| Game | Orlando Pirates vs. Esperance de Tunis |
| Date | Saturday, February 2 |
| Time | 21:00 SA Time |
TV Channel, Live Score & How To Watch
In South Africa, the game will be beamed live on SS4 and you can also catch live updates on Goal.com.
| Live Match Centre | TV Channel |
|---|---|
| Goal.com | SS4 |
Squad & Team News
However, Bucs remain undefeated in their last 25 matches in all competitions (in regulation time) having recorded 12 draws and 13 victories during their unbeaten run.
Pirates thrashed Guinean champions Horoya AC 3-0 in their last Group B game which was played at the Orlando Stadium a fortnight ago on match-day two.
Their maiden Group B victory took the 1995 Champions League to the top of the group standings, but they are only ahead of second-placed Esperance on goal-difference.
Milutin 'Micho' Sredojevic will bank on Justin Shonga's form with the Zambian striker having netted three goals in his last three matches including two against Horoya.
Bucs have added experienced trio Thabo Matlaba, Wayne Sandilands and Luvuyo Memela to their Champions League squad.
Meanwhile, Esperance are heading into this encounter having extended their unbeaten run to seven matches in all competitions with a 1-0 win over Gabes in the Tunisian Cup match.
The Tunisian champions emerged 2-0 winners over Zimbabwean side FC Platinum in their second Group B match which was played at the Stade El Menzah two weeks ago.
The match was played behind closed doors as Esperance are serving a two-match spectator ban for crowd trouble during 2018 Caf Champions League final against Egypt's Al Ahly.
Esperance coach Mouni Chaabani will look to one of the most lethal strikers in the continent, Taha Yassine Khenissi, who scored twice for the defending champions against Platinum.
Match Preview
This will be the third meeting between Pirates and Esperance since the 2013 Caf Champions League.
The two teams drew 0-0 in South Africa in a semi-final first-leg match, before playing to a 1-1 stalemate in Tunisia in the second-leg clash.
As a result, Pirates advanced to the final after winning the tie on the away goals rule.
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