Ouaddou Sets Ambitious League And Champions League Targets
Orlando Pirates coach, Abdel Ouaddou, believes a perfect season for the club would be winning the two biggest prizes: the league title and the CAF Champions League.
Ouaddou, who was appointed during the off-season, celebrated his first trophy with the team after a 3-0 victory against Stellenbosch in the MTN8 final at Mbombela Stadium on Saturday.
A Historic Win for Pirates 🏆
This victory marked a record-extending win for the Pirates, as it was their fourth consecutive time winning the MTN8. The previous three titles were secured under former coach Jose Riveiro, who departed in May.
Setting Lofty Goals
“A successful season would be to win the league and the Champions League,” Ouaddou stated concisely during an appearance on SuperSport TV’s Extra Time show on Monday.
Pirates, who last won the league in the 2011/12 season, are currently fifth in the Betway Premiership table with nine points from five matches.
Last season, they reached the Champions League semifinals but were defeated by the eventual winners, Pyramids.
The Road Ahead
The team’s Champions League campaign will kick off this coming weekend against Lesotho’s Lioli in the preliminary round. The match will be held at Free State Toyota Stadium on Saturday at 15:00.
Lioli is unable to host the match in their home country, as Lesotho doesn’t have a stadium that meets the requirements for CAF matches. For the same reason, Lesotho’s national team also plays its CAF and FIFA World Cup qualifying matches in South Africa.
