Ouaddou dedicates Soweto Derby victory to Orlando Pirates supporters

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou dedicated his side’s 2-1 Soweto Derby victory over Kaizer Chiefs to the club’s supporters after a dramatic contest at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Yanela Mbuthuma and Tshepang Moremi scored for the Buccaneers, while Pule Mmodi found the net for Amakhosi. Kaizer Chiefs were reduced to 10 men when Inacio Miguel was sent off after receiving a second yellow card.

The result gave Orlando Pirates the bragging rights in Soweto and strengthened their position in the Betway Premiership title race. The Buccaneers remain second in the table with 25 points from nine fixtures, one point behind leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have played one match more.

The victory also keeps Orlando Pirates firmly in contention to retain the Betway Premiership title, with their destiny still in their own hands.

Ouaddou, who celebrated enthusiastically at the final whistle, praised the support that helped drive his team to an important three points. He said the backing demonstrated the reach and importance of the Orlando Pirates identity.

“We have to give credit to our fans, to South Africa. You can see the fantastic support. It means that this brand, this institution has fans everywhere,” said the coach during his post-match press conference.

The Moroccan-Frenchman was particularly pleased to see the club’s supporters, known as the Ghost, leave the Calabash in high spirits following an intense encounter.

He said the achievement belonged to them as much as it did to the players and encouraged them to celebrate their team’s success until the next match.

“Thanks to them, I think this victory is for them also. They can be proud. I think they can go out in the streets with proudness until the next game,” Ouaddou added.

The defeat was made more difficult for Kaizer Chiefs by Miguel’s dismissal, which left them with a numerical disadvantage during the closing stages. Orlando Pirates took full advantage to secure a result that could prove important in the battle at the top of the table.

For Ouaddou, however, the significance of the derby success extended beyond the league points. The coach’s focus was on the supporters whose noise and encouragement accompanied Orlando Pirates throughout the match and whose celebrations continued after the final whistle.