Ouaddou Plays Down League Title Talk After Pirates Win
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou remained measured when asked whether his side is in a better position than Mamelodi Sundowns and Kaizer Chiefs in the Betway Premiership title race, choosing instead to focus on his own team’s ambitions.
Pirates moved up to second place on the league table after a 2–0 victory over Magesi at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.
Ouaddou was questioned on whether Pirates’ recent CAF Champions League exit against Saint Éloi Lupopo had helped sharpen their focus on domestic competition, particularly with Sundowns and Chiefs also firmly in the title race.
However, the Moroccan mentor was quick to dismiss any suggestion that the continental disappointment had altered the team’s priorities or mentality.
“I think for me that is far away from what we’re doing for now,” Ouaddou said.
“We are only focusing on our target in terms of what we want to achieve with Orlando Pirates.
“I don’t want to speak too much about the other teams, and of course, this game is far away before we play against them (Sundowns & Chiefs)
“We want to focus on the league now and the Nedbank Cup.”
Pirates were eliminated in the second preliminary round of the Champions League by Lupopo in dramatic fashion, losing on penalties after both teams claimed emphatic 3-0 home victories in the first and second legs respectively.
On the other hand, Sundowns reached the group stages, but suffered a huge blow as they lost to Al Hilal on Friday. Chiefs beat ZESCO United 1-0 in the CAF Confederations Cup group stage match at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday.
While Pirates suffered a setback having reached the semis last season in the Champions League, the Buccaneers have shown strong form in the Betway Premiership and currently sit second on the log with 32 points from 14 matches.
The 2025 MTN8 champions are level on points with log leaders Sundowns, who have played one game more with 15 matches completed.
Chiefs, on the other hand, are also firmly in the hunt, occupying third place with 30 points from 15 games, setting up what promises to be an intense title race as the season progresses.
Pirates will have an immediate opportunity to return to the top of the standings when they face AmaZulu at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Tuesday. Victory in Durban would see Ouaddou’s side reclaim first place.
After the league clash against Usuthu, Pirates will remain at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday when they take on Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila in the Nedbank Cup round of 32.
Ouaddou was also asked whether he would rotate his squad to give fringe players an opportunity against opposition from the third-tier division.
“We are going to approach that competition in the same way we approach all competitions since the season started,” Ouaddou added.
“Every game that we’re going to play, we’re playing them to win, and every competition that we start, we start to win.
“So, it’s a really, really important target for us, and we’ll have some time to think about it because we have a Betway Premiership match coming.
“But what I can assure you is that it’s really a competition that we’re going to take seriously, and we’ll put the strongest team. But let me tell you that we are all the strongest players.”
With momentum building in the league and cup commitments ahead, Ouaddou’s message is clear: Pirates are keeping their eyes firmly on the immediate targets, one competition and one match at a time.
