Chiefs Stumble in Zambia, Pirates Edge Namibians in Gaborone

Kaizer Chiefs' hopes of reaching the CAF Confederation Cup group stage took a blow when they lost 1-0 to Red Arrows in Zambia on Saturday, 17 October 2026. Orlando Pirates had better news, winning 1-0 against African Stars of Namibia in their CAF Champions League qualifier in Gaborone, Botswana, according to Sowetan.

Both South African clubs now head into return legs, with Chiefs under pressure to overturn the deficit at home next week.

Key facts

Chiefs lost 1-0 to Red Arrows at the Levy Mwanawasa Stadium. Alassane Diarra scored after 76 minutes.
The second leg is in Johannesburg next week.
Pirates beat African Stars 1-0 at the Botswana National Stadium. Tshepang Moremi scored after 75 minutes.
Chiefs lost defender Thabiso Monyane to injury after 30 minutes, and he was replaced by Thulani Mabaso.

Chiefs: a set-piece lapse

Red Arrows scored from a corner kick that Chiefs failed to deal with. Set pieces have been a recurring weakness for the Amakhosi, and coach Fernando da Cruz will be unhappy about conceding that way. Sowetan said Chiefs also failed to control the game or create enough chances in the first leg in Ndola.

Da Cruz started Renaldo Leaner, Thabiso Monyane, Thabo Moloisane, Sibongiseni Mthethwa, Mduduzi Shabalala, Mfundo Vilakazi and Luke Baartman, among others. At half-time he turned to attacking options, bringing on Flavio da Silva, Etiosa Ighodaro and Wandile Duba for Baartman, Vilakazi and Shabalala. It was not enough, and the injury to Monyane adds a selection worry for the return leg.

Missing out on the group stage would be a major setback for a club that wants to stay relevant in continental football. Sowetan notes that the Confederation Cup has improved in quality, with many sides in the later rounds coming from the Champions League.

Pirates: Moremi makes the difference

In Gaborone, Pirates earned a hard-fought win through an attacker who has been one of their standout performers this season. Moremi scored the only goal after 75 minutes. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou made few changes from the league win over TS Galaxy during the week, recalling Nkosikhona Ndaba, Thalente Mbatha and Yanela Mbuthuma. Substitutes including Sbangani Zulu, Evidence Makgopa, Mpho Padime and Mthetheli Mthiyane helped to see the game out.

The result leaves the Buccaneers well placed to reach the group stage. Sowetan also noted that Moremi's form could earn him a place in the Bafana Bafana squad of coach Pitso Mosimane for back-to-back Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers against Kenya next month.

What this means for you

For Chiefs supporters, the return leg in Johannesburg is must-win in practical terms: a 1-0 deficit can be overturned with a better home performance, but not with a repeat of Saturday's display. For Pirates fans, a away win in qualifying is a strong platform heading into the second leg.