Pirates show tactical grit in goalless draw against Las Palmas
Despite going a man down in the second half, Orlando Pirates held La Liga side Las Palmas to a 0-0 draw in their third Spanish tour match. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou (pictured) praised his side’s tactical discipline and ability to adapt, highlighting improved defensive structure and promising formation shifts — key elements as the Buccaneers fine-tune preparations for the upcoming season.
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Orlando Pirates’ latest friendly on their Spanish pre-season tour offered more than just a hard-earned draw, when the game provided a valuable opportunity for tactical fine-tuning as the Buccaneers edge closer to the start of the 2025/26 season.
New head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou praised his side’s organisation and resilience after they held Spanish outfit Las Palmas to a goalless draw at the Marbella Sports Centre in this, their third match of the European camp.
After a 2-0 loss to Bolton Wanderers and a 1-1 draw against Pafos FC, this result came with its own challenges, including the dismissal of goalkeeper Sipho Chaine in the 60th minute for handling the ball outside the area – a rookie mistake.
Yet, despite the numerical disadvantage, Pirates showed composure and discipline. The red card prompted a reshuffle, with Simphiwe Selepe making way for reserve goalkeeper Melusi Buthelezi, and the team adopting different tactical formations.
“The most important thing was for us to remain organised, but we also wanted to attack when we had the ball,” said Ouaddou. “We used a 4-4-1 shape when defending, and switched to a 4-2-3 when attacking.”
He added, “I think the players showed great character. We were a man down, but our players stuck to the instructions we gave them and fought together as a team, which helped us secure this result.”
While Ouaddou acknowledged that a coach is never entirely satisfied, especially when not winning, he welcomed the clean sheet, the team’s first of the tour.
“We conceded goals in our first two matches here, so it’s good that we managed to keep a clean sheet in this one.”
Pirates also created several attacking chances, including a disallowed goal by Evidence Makgopa. “We had other opportunities to score as well,” the coach said, “but we still need to improve how we attack and finish in the final third.”
The Buccaneers will next face La Liga side Granada on Saturday evening, as they continue refining systems and assessing player combinations before heading home.