CAF Champions League: Orlando Pirates coach Ouaddou urges focus despite first leg win over African Stars

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes his side have taken a major step towards reaching the CAF Champions League group stage after securing a 1-0 away victory over Namibian champions African Stars in the first leg of their second preliminary round tie.

The Buccaneers claimed a crucial advantage in the encounter played in Botswana, putting themselves in a favourable position ahead of the return leg at Orlando Stadium in South Africa.

Ouaddou was pleased with how his players handled the challenging conditions and executed the tactical plan prepared by his technical team, praising the club’s analysis department for ensuring they were well prepared for their opponents.

“My boys did well, we started how we wanted, no surprises about the opponent, we had good information from my analysis department, well done to them. The first half we adapted well to the conditions, the heat, the pitch as well,” the Moroccan tactician said.

Despite the victory, the Pirates coach admitted his team could have made the result more convincing after creating opportunities to score additional goals, particularly in the early stages of the match.

However, he was pleased with the collective defensive performance, highlighting another clean sheet as a key achievement in their pursuit of qualification.

“We definitely could have scored two goals early, but I have to give credit to the team block. Defensively we were strong again, another clean sheet. We went without conceding a goal, which was the target, make tactical adjustments to get the away goal,” Ouaddou added.

The coach subsequently expressed confidence in his side’s chances of progressing to the group stage, describing the first leg as a successful exercise while acknowledging that another important 90 minutes await them in South Africa.

“We did it, the boys showed ambition to score this away goal, we could have scored more goals, but let’s be happy. I think we succeeded the first half, we still have the second half in South Africa. I can say we have one foot in the group stage,” he said.

Ouaddou’s comments underline the importance of the result for a Pirates side determined to avoid another early exit from the competition. The South African giants were eliminated at the same qualifying stage last season by Saint-Éloi Lupopo, making progression to the group stage a significant objective for the club this campaign.

Nevertheless, the Pirates boss was quick to remind his players that qualification is not yet secured. He stressed the need for adequate recovery and thorough preparation before the decisive return fixture, insisting that his team must approach the match with the ambition of securing another victory.

“We have an important second half, we have to prepare for this in order to get into the group stage. It’s an important target for the club, the technical team, the players. We will make sure we rest and start this game to win it,” he concluded.

Pirates will head into the return leg with a 1-0 advantage, knowing that another disciplined performance could be enough to secure their place in the next phase of Africa’s premier club competition.

Their confidence is also boosted by an impressive record away from home. The Buccaneers are now unbeaten in 21 consecutive away matches across all competitions, registering 16 victories and five draws to establish a new record for the longest unbeaten away run by a South African Premier Soccer League top-flight team.

With their defensive resilience and growing consistency on the road, Pirates will be hoping to finish the job at Orlando Stadium and take another step towards their continental ambitions.