CAFCL: Qhogi draws Orlando Pirates inspirations after Simba result

After a 3-0 punishment by Simba SC of Tanzania over the weekend, Eswatini’s Nsingizini Hotspurs FC coach Mandla Qhogi has turned to his former employers Orlando Pirates for inspiration.

The former Buccaneers’ under-19 trainer saw his world crumble around him during the 2025-2026 CAF Champions League duel against the Tanzania Mainland Premier League heavyweights on Sunday.

The visitors from East Africa pulverized the Eswatini Premier League opponents in the second preliminary round first leg match at Somhlolo Stadium.

The home defeat cast a huge shadow of doubt on Hotspurs’ possible comeback in the second leg to be played in Dar es Salaam this weekend.

What does coach Mandla Qhogi remember about Pirates class of 1995?

However, having coached Pirates’ reserves and observed the main team’s character in the face of adversity, Qhogi has refused to give up on their dream for a Champions League group stage slot.

“It can still be done away from home. We take this from the group that played in the CAF Champions League in 1995— Orlando Pirates—when they went to Ivory Coast, the game being played in South Africa [ended] 2-2, and then they went there, but no one gave them an opportunity or a chance that they would go through, but they managed to get a goal and they won the CAF Champions League, so we will take those lessons to our game.”

Qhogi attributed the heavy loss to inexperience evident by a loss of concentration in critical stages of the match.

“Lapse of concentration made us concede the first goal, and second half, unfortunately there was no game to be played until we got frustrated and we ended up opening spaces behind and then they managed to get the second one,” the coach explained.

What lessons did Nsingizi Hotspurs get from loss to Simba?

He described the experience of facing the seasoned Champions League campaigners, Simba, as necessary for the growth of Hotspurs.

“These are lessons that we need to take, especially playing in the CAF competition. You could see that once they [Simba] got the first goal, they started slipping down and that got into our players, and we lost that concentration, but other than that, should they have played in the second half, we could have given them a tough one going,” he explained.

“What we need to take from this game is that we need to understand that we know that everyone is now writing us off, then we go there knowing we don’t have much pressure. We will go there to redeem ourselves to come back. Should we get one goal, then they will start panicking and we will get through. We have to push ourselves. This is not the end. This was the first leg.”

The two teams will meet again for the second leg next Sunday in Dar es Salaam, with Simba carrying a huge advantage, and one leg in the group stages.

The return leg will be played at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium on Sunday, October 26.