Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates face uncertainty over their upcoming CAF Champions League and Confederations Cup second leg clashes due to revised COVID-19 restrictions in Angola.
Both Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates were drawn against Angolan opponents in the form of Primeiro de Agosto and Segrada Esperanca in the second round of CAF inter-club football.
Kaizer Chiefs played out to a goalless draw against Primeiro de Agosto in their first leg at the FNB Stadium while Orlando Pirates earned a 1-0 away victory out in Angola against Segrada Esperanca.
Both teams are gearing up for their second leg clashes with Kaizer Chiefs due to travel to Angola to face their opponents during the first week of January while Segrada are supposed to travel to South Africa from Angola ahead of their clash against Orlando Pirates.
Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates face major debacle
Revised travel restrictions in light of the new variant of COVID-19 means South Africans are barred from entering Angola while TAAG Angolan Airlines, Angola’s premier airline have also suspended flights to South Africa leaving uncertainty surrounding Kaizer Chiefs’ travel plans.
“Limited international travel is permitted. The following persons or reasons for travel are permitted from outside Australia, Nigeria, South Africa, and the UK from 23.59hrs Dec. 26: residents [local and foreign] arriving or departing, foreigners departing, official travellers, cargo and humanitarian transport, medical emergencies, diplomatic transport, and technical stops,” the Angolan government confirmed.
“Any person entering the country needs to comply with a mandatory home quarantine period of at least seven days. Symptomatic persons may be required to quarantine at a government-run facility. Land and sea borders remain closed until further notice, except for humanitarian and cargo transport.”
While it remains to be seen if special concession will be given to Kaizer Chiefs to travel to Angola, traveling on the continent has undoubtedly become all the more trickier for our local teams with South Africa recording a high number of cases of the new COVID-19 variant.
Kaizer Chiefs face Primeiro de Agosto on 5 January and will be looking to leave the country well in advance ahead of their crunch clash however their safety and the safety of their opponents will ultimately take preference.
