Orlando Pirates were unable to penetrate a resolute African Stars defence, as their Caf Champions League clash at Orlando Stadium on Saturday ended goalless.

The Buccaneers went into the fixture as overwhelming favourites, having dropped five goals in the same venue against Light Stars in the first round of the preliminary stages of the competition.

Despite having most of the ball possession in the first half, the men from Soweto could not capitalise on their home-ground advantage as they failed to so much deliver a considerable to the opposition in the final third.

The second 45 continued much in the same vein as the first, with minimal goalmouth action, despite reinforcements in the form of Augustine Mulenga and Thabo Qalinge being introduced later on in the contest.

In the end, no goals would culminate, leaving Milutin Sredojevic’s men with a stiff challenge in the second leg.

The Serbian, who guided the Buccaneers to the last four of the same tournament in his previous tenure at the club over a decade ago was under no illusion at the task that awaits his charges, who’s last fixture of the year is in an environment they will not find entirely natural.

“Now we have to go back to the drawing board. We have one week to prepare properly,” he said after the match.

“It’s not easy at Sam Nujoma Stadium with the artificial grass, but we believe in the work we are doing, we believe in plans we are having, and we believe that we are firmly on the road to getting results away, and to qualify for the group stages.”

Orlando Pirates next face African Stars in Windhoek on Saturday, and they need at least a one-all draw to progress to the group stage of the competition.