Ouaddou Dedicates First League Win To Fans
Orlando Pirates coach Abdelsalam Ouaddou expressed a sense of relief and dedicated the team’s first league win of the season to the fans.
Pirates secured a crucial three points after beating Stellenbosch in a Betway Premiership match at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday.
The victory comes after a difficult start to the season, with the team losing its first two league games against Sekhukhune United and Marumo Gallants, which had intensified the pressure on Ouaddou. The win was sealed by a stunning goal from Kamogelo Sebelebele.
Speaking to SuperSport TV after the game, Ouaddou said, “At least we offered these three points to the fans. I thought about them because they have been waiting for these points for two or three weeks now. So, I thought of them first, and I’d like to congratulate my boys because they showed character.”
Ouaddou also reflected on the team’s performance, highlighting the areas that need improvement. “We had a very interesting first half. We created some chances. We could have killed the game earlier. In the second half, I think we lost control for 25 minutes. We have to improve that if we want to go higher. We cannot accept to lose control in a game that we have been controlling from the beginning.”
Following this morale-boosting victory, Pirates will now shift their focus to the second leg of the MTN8 semifinal against Mamelodi Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
With the aggregate score level at 1-1 after Sundowns scored a vital away goal in the first leg, the pressure is on Pirates to secure a win and advance to the final.
