Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou pleased with his players' effort but calls for sharper finishing after important PSL win

The Buccaneers shook off a confusing start to the year with a convincing 2-0 victory over Magesi FC, a result that showcased the bright future at Orlando Pirates. 

As the youngster Relebohile Mofokeng was the star of the evening at the Orlando Amstel Arena, delivering a standout performance that played a key role in both goals and underlined his growing influence in the squad.

While the Mayfair-based side enjoyed spells of dominance throughout the encounter, head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was left encouraged by how his players executed the game plan. However, the Pirates mentor felt the performance deserved a heavier scoreline, admitting his troops could have been more clinical in front of goal.

The Moroccan coach expressed his delight at the valuable points secured, praising the Bucs for their comeback performance, which continues to heat up the PSL title race.

“I’m just happy about the points, the victory was important, in front of our fans for the first game at home. I think guys executed the plan, we wanted to press them to open them very high, not to let them breathe in terms of counter-pressing, not to leave space,” Ouaddou told SuperSport TV.

“We achieved it well, in terms of entries in the last third, I think it was top, but we need to see the data. But we made a lot of entries, opportunities in that case, I think we have to definitely improve in that area because maybe we could’ve scored six goals today.

Ouaddou, however, did not shy away from expressing his concerns about the need for his side to be more threatening in front of goal.

“Every point, goal will be important at the end of the season, that’s why I’m very happy about the boys I have, I congratulate them, but I have a little bit a test we could’ve scored a lot more, but let’s keep going, let’s keep going, I think the guys did well,” he continued.

The coach praised the squad’s improved unity, but emphasized the need for more incisiveness in the attacking third.

“The take away is that the team spirit,  it’s what we’ve been working on since the beginning of the season. As you can see that, the unity and solidarity in the team how we chase together to recover the ball is fantastic.

“The way we kept the ball today, I think it’s something we can build on it but we still need to finish the opponent in the last third and to have this killer instinct in the box, but there’s lot of positive things. I think there’s a big, big hope for our team for the future,” Ouaddou said.

The Soweto giants will now turn their attention to their next challenge, with hopes of adding another domestic trophy to their cabinet. Having enjoyed a strong history in the Nedbank Cup, Pirates will look to continue their dominance in the competition while maintaining their momentum in the league. 

Amid questions over Sipho Mbule’s absence from the squad, coach Ouaddou has provided clarity on his plans for rotation, ensuring the team remains fresh and competitive across all fronts.

It’s simply a tactical choice, regarding the profile of the opponent,” explained Ouaddou as per iOl.

“We have a lot of games coming, especially next week,” he added.

“We are playing against AmaZulu (in the league on Tuesday), and the cup (the Nedbank Cup, against Tshakhuma Tsha Madzivhandila on Saturday).

"So, since we are going to play every three days, it’s very important to manage the workload of the players.” concluded the Moroccan coach.