Ouaddou Refuses To Give Up
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou insists the Betway Premiership title race remains wide open, despite his side dropping crucial points in a dramatic 2-2 draw against Richards Bay on Friday night.
The Buccaneers were held at the Umhlathuze Sports Complex, a result that denied them the chance to reclaim top spot on the league table.
Coming into the encounter, Pirates were just two points behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and had a golden opportunity to move ahead, especially with the Brazilians not in domestic action this weekend due to their CAF Champions League commitments.
However, the draw means Pirates remain second on the standings with 55 points, one behind Sundowns, who sit on 56, although the Soweto giants have played one game more than their title rivals.
Reflecting on the result, Ouaddou admitted there was disappointment in the camp but remained defiant about their title ambitions.
“I think there’s a bit of disappointment because we dropped two points in this race,” he said on SuperSport TV.
“But the guys fought until the end, and we must continue to fight until the end. A lot of people may think it’s over, but we don’t think like that—we have to keep going.
“Of course, we will rest and then continue, but as I said, we will fight until the end. Anything can happen in a season, and we don’t have the right to give up.”
The Moroccan tactician also shared his thoughts on the match itself, acknowledging the challenge posed by Richards Bay, especially on their home turf.
“We knew it would be difficult here because every time we come, they give us a tough game,” he added.
“It’s the first time, I think, that we conceded a second goal like that. But after that, we managed to come back. Our strength has been not conceding many goals.
“Unfortunately, we conceded twice today [on Friday], and when you concede two goals here, it becomes very difficult to score three.
“But we must congratulate the players for their character because they came back and scored two goals. That is positive, but we still lost two points.”
The Buccaneers will now take a short break before returning to action on 18 April, when they host AmaZulu at Orlando Amstel Arena, as they aim to keep their title hopes alive.
