16.08.2025
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Pirates’ coach under pressure ahead of Sundowns clash

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  • Orlando Pirates Coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou says everyone will get their chance to play

Orlando Pirates Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is a man feeling the pressure.

Ouaddou will be in the dugout when Pirates host the first leg MTN8 semi-final against defending league champions Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday afternoon.

He says he understands the frustration of the hard-to-please Bucs supporters after the club lost two Betway Premiership matches in a row but added that they want to right the wrongs in the cup competition and successfully defend their title.

46-year-old Ouaddou joined Pirates after a short but successful stint with Marumo Gallants.

The Moroccan-born coach took over from Spaniard Jose Riveiro who managed to win three MTN-8 trophies in a row and two other titles. Ouaddou was expected to hit the ground running but it has not been the case.

He’s won just 1 match out of 3 played. His only victory was in the MTN-8 quarter final against Polokwane City, but back-to-back league defeats followed and Ouaddou is now under pressure to deliver the goods.

“I understand the feelings of Pirates fans. This is one of the biggest clubs on the African continent, and fans at every big club in Africa get very disappointed if you start the way we started. We are going to bounce back and we are going to fight to make our fans happy,” says Ouaddou.

The semi-final between Pirates and Sundowns is being regarded as the final before the final and it’s time for Ouaddou to get his combinations right.

He’s dismantled a winning combination, while key players such as midfielder Thalente Mbatha, defender Deano van Rooyen, and forward Tshegofatso Mabasa have been overlooked.

“You must understand the magnitude of the club and what we want to achieve. Everyone is important to us. We have a big squad and everyone will get their chance to play. With games coming thick and fast everyone will be important for us this season. Even though we lost two matches in a row, a lot of interesting things have happened, even though the supporters are not happy,” he says.

Most of his players, but three, are available for selection.

“Most of the players are available for selection and soon we will see them in action. At the moment Nkosinathi Sibisi, Makhehleni Makhaula, and Olisa Ndah are injured,” adds Ouaddou.

Tickets for Saturday’s match at the Orlando Stadium are sold out.

Organisers say there will be zero tolerance on Saturday and fans have been urged to arrive at the venue early.

Stadium Management South Africa CEO Bertie Grobbelaar says only individuals with tickets will be allowed to get near the scanning points because those without tickets usually are the ones forcing their way into the stadium closer to kick-off.

He says the capacity for the match will be limited to only 31 000 tickets

Johannesburg Metro Police Department (JMPD) Spokesperson Xolani Fihla says even though the Springboks are also in action in Johannesburg, on Saturday, they have the capacity to ensure the smooth running of both events.

“It’s not the first time that we will have two big events on the same day being a big soccer match and rugby. We’ve got the capacity to deal with both events effectively,” says Fihla.

Saturday’s match kicks off at 15h00.

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