Pirates boss Abdeslam Ouaddou insists title race alive despite setbacks

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has described the past week as “difficult” after his side’s Nedbank Cup exit to Casric Stars compounded a damaging league defeat days earlier.

The Buccaneers were knocked out of the competition on Saturday after losing 5-4 on penalties to Casric Stars.

The Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit held the Soweto giants over 120 minutes before prevailing in the shootout to book a place in the quarter-finals.

The cup disappointment followed a midweek setback in the Betway Premiership, where Pirates were beaten by Mamelodi Sundowns in a top-of-the-table clash.

That result reduced their advantage at the summit to three points, intensifying the pressure in the title race.

Despite the back-to-back defeats, Ouaddou insisted the championship remains within reach and urged his players to respond positively.

“You know, when you’re playing for the title and, of course, you’ve lost the previous game, it’s very important mentally to clear your head and restore confidence and assurance to the players — that’s what we did after Sundowns. And there’s also this game which may shake things up a bit for the players,” said the Bucs coach.

“But what I will tell them is that we still have 13 finals to play, nothing is lost in the title race and we will find resources like this, it’s very important. I won’t hide it from you, it’s a difficult week after two defeats.”

Ouaddou acknowledged that similar setbacks earlier in the season had tested the squad, but he pointed to their response as a source of encouragement.

“I think this is the second time this has happened to us if I include the first half of the season. So, we’ll have to find the resources we did at the beginning of the season, when we managed to bounce back and string together 11 consecutive wins. That’s what we need to do now.”

Pirates’ immediate focus now shifts to a high-stakes Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

With the title race tightening and cup hopes ended, the clash offers an opportunity for a swift response in front of a packed crowd.