Orlando Pirates midfielder Miguel Timm says the team is confident that they’ll be able to exit the Caf Champions League group stage after an impressive start.
Pirates returned to the group stage of the premier continental club tournament this season, and they’ve been on a high, bagging four points out of six so far. They beat CR Belouizdad of Algeria 2-1 in the opener away from home before holding Al Ahly of Egypt in a stalemate at home, Orlando Stadium, last Saturday.
The Sea Robbers will now steer their ship to Ivory Coast on Saturday, where they’ll face Stade D’Abidjan in their third match in Group C. Despite D’Abidjan sitting bottom of the log in the group, they’ll pose a threat to Pirates, who’ll be visiting West Africa for the first time this season. Timm says they’ll be ready.
“I think the approach has been ‘one game at a time’, and clearly that has been working for us,” Timm explained.
“We have our next challenge in Ivory Coast but like we’ve shown, we’ll go to every game confident and have the tools to compete against the best. I think we’ll show it again next week.
“We are confident, even though this is a tough group. I think we have the qualities to get to the latter stages of the tournament.”
There’s still a long way to go before Pirates can realise the dream of the knockout stage, but they must be proud of their exploits in the group so far, especially after the draw with Al Ahly.
The Red Devils are not the Club of the Century by chance. They are the most successful club on the continent after winning 12 titles in the club’s history. And while they might have not beaten Pirates in the previous visits in 2013 – after two draws – they were still underdogs going to the clash in Orlando on Saturday.
So, that’s why Timm, whose team is largely made up of a youthful and inexperienced bunch compared to the north Africans, said they were proud of their exploits.
“It was an important point for us. It’s still the group stage, so I think sometimes it’s okay to get a point because there’s still a long way to go,” Timm said.
“I think it will be beneficial by the time the group stage ends, so it could be a precious point to count for us. We played the best team on the continent and stood on our own today. I think honestly speaking we could have got all three points if we were clinical in the final third.”
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Pirates can’t afford to put all their eggs in one basket and focus on Africa. They still have the coveted Betway Premiership to compete for on home soil.
You see, every discerning Ghost is hoping the Sea Robbers finally steers their way to the coveted league title this season after a 13-year hiatus.
“I think so,” said Timm, on their ability to juggle between domestic and continental football. “It’s important for the players to stay locked in.
“The technical team plays a big role in how they manage the quality. But it’s obviously important to stay ready and healthy to contribute whenever you are needed in the team.”
Timm has been one of the ever-ready players. After missing the better part of the start of the season, the 32-year-old made his cameo against Al Ahly and stabilised the midfield.
“Obviously, I have been working hard to get back to the team. I personally know how tough it is,” said Timm, on his return to the pitch.
“I am happy to contribute to the draw. I’ll continue to try and chip in where I can go forward and help the team.”