Orlando Pirates booked their place in the Caf Confederation Cup quarter-finals as Group B winners after playing out to a goalless draw against Al-Ittihad Tripoli at the Orlando Stadium on Sunday evening.

The Buccaneers got off to a bright start as they tried to snatch an early lead but they were let down in the final third in the opening exchanges of the match.

Bandile Shandu should have broken the deadlock in the ninth minute when he pounced on a loose ball after some sloppy play by the visitors in defence before Shandu pushed the ball to the left but his final shot let him down.

Pirates produced another scoring opportunity in the 24th minute when Fortune Makaringe floated an inviting cross into the area but his ball evaded both Peprah and Motshwari in the box.

The Buccaneers continue to push for the opening goal after 38 minutes of play when Dlamini found Makaringe in front of the goal post but the midfielder was caught off guard as he directed his effort off target.

Neither side were able to find the back of the net in the first 45 minutes as the game went into the break locked at goalless.

The visitors showed their intent early in the second half when they forced Pirates goalkeeper Richard Ofori into making a desperate save to prevent the ball from finding the back of the net.

Pirates opted to make a double substitution just after the hour mark as Thembinkosi Lorch and Gabadinho Mhango were introduced in place of Shandu and Peprah respectively.

The home side nearly put the ball into their own net in the 72nd minute through Dlamini but his blushes were saved after the ball sailed out for a corner.

The Buccaneers made another substitution five minutes later as Kabelo Dlamini was taken off and replaced by Siphesihle Ndlovu.

Both teams pressed forward in the closing stages of the game as they went in search of the winning goal but they were forced to settle for a point each in their final Group B match of the group stages.