MC Alger head coach Khaled Ben Yahia has praised Orlando Pirates following his team’s 1-0 defeat on Tuesday.
The Algerian giants went down to the Buccaneers in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarter-final at home. Mohau Nkota scored the only goal to give Pirates an advantage going into the second leg.
Speaking after the match, Ben Yahia said his team played well but Orlando Pirates were just strong.
“I am doubly saddened by the course of the match and the efforts made by the players. We prepared well for the match in all aspects: physically, technically, and even in terms of activating the game,” Ben Yahia told Kooora.
“I was very afraid of the match because someone warned me about Orlando, but the truth is, what we did was exceptional. We gave our best effort and put pressure on our opponent from the start, not letting them breathe, and they were unable to break the pressure,” he said.
The Algerian side will travel to South Africa and need a win and a clean sheet to keep themselves in the competition. Ben Yahia admitted that the loss to Orlando Pirates hurt the team.
“I’ve played in the (Caf) Champions League quarter-finals and semi-finals before with Esperance de Tunis, and I know what it means to respect your opponent. However, our control of the match was clear, as evidenced by the numerous chances we missed. All the statistics were in our favour, but we lacked effectiveness,” he added.
Orlando Pirates secure vital away win
“The loss is what hurts. The fans came in force and encouraged us a lot. I feel proud and disappointed at the same time. I am proud of the team and what the players did and disappointed to lose a quarter-final match. I hope the future will be better,” Yahia concluded.
Orlando Pirates will host MC Alger next Wednesday at the Orlando Stadium in the second leg.
Can the Buccaneers qualify for the semi-final?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 0211.
Subscribe to The South African website’s newsletters and follow us on WhatsApp, Facebook, X and Bluesky for the latest news.
