Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou finds himself under growing pressure following a second consecutive Betway Premiership defeat, this time at the hands of Marumo Gallants on Tuesday evening.
Playing at the Seisa Ramabodu Stadium in Bloemfontein, the Buccaneers fell 2-1 in a match that dented their early-season hopes. The result leaves Pirates languishing in 14th place on the table, while Gallants surged to the summit.
A Promising Start Turns Sour
Ouaddou admitted after the match that the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow, especially given how well Pirates began.
“It’s not the result we wanted. We came here determined to take back the three points we lost at home,” he told SuperSport. “We started very well, opening the scoring and creating chances, but we didn’t take them. When you don’t finish your chances, you give the opponent the chance to punish you and that’s exactly what happened.”
Pirates took the lead in the 16th minute through Patrick Maswanganyi, but their advantage was wiped out just before the break when Daniel Msendami equalised for Gallants.
Late Heartbreak for the Buccaneers
The second half offered fewer opportunities for either side, with the game appearing destined for a draw. However, in the dying moments, Jaisen Clifford struck the decisive blow for Gallants, sealing a dramatic victory.
Ouaddou reflected on the closing stages with frustration. “We will analyse the game and see what went wrong, especially in the second half. We made changes, but unfortunately, they didn’t deliver the impact we expected. It’s a big disappointment, but we have to regroup, assess, and come back stronger.” The loss intensifies the spotlight on Ouaddou as Pirates look to arrest their slump before it becomes a full-blown crisis.
Orlando Pirates: Time to Steady the Ship
For Ouaddou and his men, the road ahead demands both urgency and composure. Back-to-back defeats have left their campaign off balance, but with the quality in their squad, a turnaround remains possible. The challenge now is to rediscover their finishing touch, tighten up in crucial moments, and prove that early setbacks won’t define their season.
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