Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou delivers verdict on 'one of the best players in South African football' as Soweto giants eye ninth successive win

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has revealed how he was impressed by Sipho Mbule during the CAF Champions League preliminary round duel against Lioli FC. 

Bucs faced their continental rivals and won 3-0 in the first leg action before another commanding 4-0 victory in the second leg.

Mbule played 90 minutes in the second leg, and in the early stages of the second half, he was deployed as a deep-lying midfielder. He was redeployed when Sihle Nduli was withdrawn and Masindi Nemtajela came on.

Despite playing out of his natural position, Ouaddou has revealed that Mbule did well.   

“I saw the real Mbule, what he is able to do. Sipho had a good performance. It is good for him to have time like that, and what I like is that I see a boy who is smiling and enjoying his game, and it is what we want,” Ouaddou said after the Saturday game.

“He is a fantastic player; let's say that he is one of the best players in South African football, and when I see him happy, I am happy.

“So I can say that it was a bit difficult for him in the first half because to play with a low block in very small spaces was not easy, and after we gave him the opportunity to play a little bit lower when he had more space, we saw the real Mbule, what he is able to do. I’m very happy about his performance and, in general, the performance of the boys.” 

Apart from Mbule, Tshepang Moremi and Yanela Mbuthuma had impressive outings, as the two registered braces in the encounter at Orlando Stadium.

The performance of Moremi, Mbule, and Mbuthuma is a testament to the fact that the new signings are proving to be key additions to the Bucs' setup. 

Apart from the aforementioned duo, Kamogelo Sebelebele and Nduli have also shown how brilliant they can be. Oswin Appollis and Lebone Seema have also been involved on a number of occasions and have displayed good performance.

Ouaddou and his charges have turned their attention to their PSL clash against TS Galaxy, which is scheduled for Tuesday at Orlando Stadium.

The Buccaneers will be looking to make it nine wins in a row across all competitions, including penalties and extra time.