Nedbank Cup: Early elimination disappointing – Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has described his side’s early exit from the Nedbank Cup as a bitter setback, admitting the club had targeted a full sweep of domestic knockout honours this season.

Pirates’ campaign came to an abrupt halt on Saturday after a shock second-round defeat to second-tier outfit Casric Stars.

The tie ended goalless after extra time at the Orlando Stadium before the visitors triumphed 5-4 in a tense penalty shootout.

The result compounded a difficult week for the Buccaneers, who had also suffered a league defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in a top-of-the-table clash days earlier.

Speaking after the cup upset, Ouaddou did not hide his frustration.

“It’s a big, big disappointment tonight. Of course, that is the case when you get eliminated from a competition that you are focusing on and which is important for the players and for the fans,” Ouaddou said after the shock defeat.

The Moroccan tactician insisted his side executed the game plan early on, pressing aggressively and fashioning their best openings before the break. However, he acknowledged a familiar flaw — wastefulness in front of goal.

“We started the game exactly like we wanted, to suffocate Casric Stars quickly in the first half and to create chances. I think the most valuable chances we created came in the first half.”

Casric Stars, he noted, grew in confidence as the contest wore on, defending resolutely and frustrating the home side. Pirates attempted to inject more creativity after the interval and again carved out opportunities, yet could not find the decisive breakthrough.

“Unfortunately, it’s the same story as previous games. It’s very important to be efficient, especially in the cup. When you miss such chances in the first half, you give confidence to the opponent, and I think they defended well; they did the job, I think. “For us, we tried in the second half to bring some more creativity to balance our opponent. Again, in the second half, we created some chances, and we could have finished the game earlier.”

With no goals after 120 minutes, the match went to penalties — a scenario Ouaddou said the team had prepared for during the week.

“When it comes to penalties, we prepare them during the week because it’s a possibility. But it’s like that. We lost on penalties.”

For Pirates, a week that began with ambition ended in frustration, as their hopes of domestic cup dominance were extinguished far earlier than expected.