Orlando Pirates’ Abdeslam Ouaddou after Orbit College win - there are no small teams in the PSL
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou highlighted the competitiveness of the Betway Premiership after a challenging 1-0 win over Orbit College on Tuesday evening. Picture: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Following his side’s hard-fought 1-0 victory over Orbit College on Tuesday evening, Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou explained how competitive the Betway Premiership really is.
Until now, it had been a poor start to the new league campaign for Pirates, with their first two clashes ending in defeat.
Fortunately for Pirates, they followed that up with two wins, as they now rise to seventh in the table.
Still, it seems it will be a challenging season for the team, which finished second behind champions Mamelodi Sundowns last term.
Ouaddou Reflects on Challenging Victory Over Orbit in PSL Match
“Yes, happy with the win after. We were a bit tired and made some changes, but I have to congratulate this team of Orbit as well,” the coach told SuperSport after the game.
“I told you that it will not be easy because they have this dynamic of being promoted to the PSL, so it was not easy.
“We know now with the PSL there’s no small teams.”
Pirates Secure MTN8 Final Spot with Penalty Win Over Sundowns
It’s not been all doom and gloom though, as Pirates beat Sundowns in their MTN8 semi-final second leg on penalties over the weekend, to book their fourth successive appearance in the final.
Building from that cup victory would have been the plan, but Ouaddou explained that didn’t quite work out.
“We wanted to keep the ball and to pass around the ball in the first half.
“Things we didn’t achieve, so I decided to bring some players that will be able to keep the ball in the middle and to play forward and be able to play the last pass, and it’s what we needed, you know, because we were really behind the ball in the first half, it was not the plan.”