Ouaddou Pins Title Hopes On Richards Bay “Favour” Against Sundowns

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is hoping that top-eight contenders Richards Bay can do his side a massive favour by halting log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns in the coming weeks.

This comes after Pirates snatched a late 2-2 draw against the Natal Rich Boyz in an entertaining Betway Premiership clash at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex on Friday.

A win would have seen Pirates reclaim top spot in their fierce battle with Sundowns, but they remain second on 55 points after 24 matches—one behind Miguel Cardoso’s side, who also have a game in hand.

With Pirates seemingly on course to drop all three points, Lebone Seema scored a stunning late strike from outside the box to cancel out Lindokuhle Zikhali’s thunderous effort.

Richards Bay had opened the scoring, with Thulani Gumede netting a superb goal in the 10th minute, before Bafana Bafana attacker Oswin Appollis combined well with Relebohile Mofokeng to level matters.

Bay have now lost just once at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex in the league this season—a controversial defeat to Orbit College in October—and have turned the venue into a fortress where teams struggle to collect points.

Kaizer Chiefs came and dropped all three, losing 1-0 recently.

With Pirates close to dropping all three points, Ouaddou is hopeful the Natal Rich Boyz can also do them a favour by stopping Sundowns on 25 April.

“I hope so,” said Ouaddou when asked by Sportswire after the match.

“It’s a team with great character, good organisation, and, most importantly, a strong fighting spirit and fitness levels.

“I think it’s one of the best teams in the PSL. They are very professional, and they are winners.

“They are competitors. I feel that every team that comes here will suffer. Of course, we are going to watch that game closely, and for us it’s important to keep working and fighting until the last game, until the final second.

“We don’t have the right to be pessimistic at this stage.”

Despite his side having to come from behind twice, Ouaddou was proud of their resilience, even though it was the first time they had conceded two goals since their 2-1 defeat to Sundowns in February.

“If I have to find a positive, it is the comeback and scoring those two goals. It was disappointing to concede twice,” he said.

“The players were brave, they fought hard, and they came back to score two goals.”