Ouaddou: Pirates Don’t Need Sundowns Win For League Title
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou insisted that defeating Mamelodi Sundowns is not a prerequisite for winning the Betway Premiership title, stressing that many matches remain and the race is far from decided.
The Buccaneers suffered a setback against Sundowns at FNB Stadium on Wednesday night, but Ouaddou quickly shifted the focus to the bigger picture, urging his side to maintain belief and continue fighting in the remaining fixtures.
“I would agree with you (that we had to beat Sundowns for us to win the league) if there were five games left, but the number of games that we still have, I think everything can happen,” Ouaddou said.
“We are left with 13 or 14 games. For me, we still have to work and give everything because you can have many surprises in football. So, we have to fight until the end of the league.
“This is a message that I want to give, the PSL is a good league with good teams, and we wanted to avoid the pressure by beating Sundowns, but it happened, we didn’t win. But what’s left for us now is to continue working and also keep believing.”
Pirates had entered the clash brimming with confidence after opening a six-point gap at the top of the standings with a victory over Marumo Gallants the previous weekend.
Despite the defeat, the Buccaneers remain league leaders with 38 points from 17 matches, while Sundowns sit second on 35 points from 16 games and still hold a game in hand.
The former Marumo Gallants mentor also addressed a key first-half moment involving promising forward Yanela Mbuthuma, who missed a free header from close range after a dangerous delivery by Oswin Appollis into the six-yard box.
Ouaddou moved to shield the 23-year-old from criticism, emphasizing the importance of patience and support for young talent.
“About Mbuthuma, when you have a young player like him, you know that you have a lot of qualities and the future for the club,” Ouaddou added.
“What we need to do is to encourage and push him. For me, the only things I know as a former professional footballer are to work every day and to be professional in how you deal with your lifestyle and how you work to improve at training.
“He is cool in many games because he helps us, and he will continue to help, and a young player like that, you have to give him the confidence to trust and believe him.”
The former Richards Bay striker has contributed seven goals and two assists across all competitions this season and will be eager to make amends when Pirates host Casric Stars in the Nedbank Cup round of 16 at Orlando Amstel Arena this weekend.
Attention will then quickly turn back to league action, with a high-stakes Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs scheduled at FNB Stadium on 28 February.
