Orlando Pirates boss Ouaddou sounds defensive alarm after Al Ittihad defeat

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has warned that his side must urgently rediscover their defensive steel after a 3-2 pre-season defeat to Saudi Pro League heavyweights Al Ittihad in Spain.

The reverse was Pirates’ first loss of their pre-season schedule, but continued an unwanted pattern: the Soweto club have now conceded in every warm-up match ahead of the 2026-27 campaign.

Ouaddou, speaking to SuperSport after the game, said the scoreline did not fully reflect the balance of play but admitted that repeated lapses at the back were becoming a concern.

Defensive strength ‘must return’

The Moroccan coach, who built much of last season’s progress on a solid back line, said his team must quickly restore their defensive identity.

“And after, of course, we are in the preparation. We know that we still have to work some areas. And in that area, we need to find back our strength defensively because it’s an area where we’ve been very strong last season.

“And now, since every game, we’ve been conceding goals. So it’s an area that we have to strengthen,” he said.

Pirates, nicknamed the Buccaneers, are in Spain for an extended training camp as they fine-tune tactics and fitness levels for the new Betway Premiership season and forthcoming continental commitments.

Al Ittihad, one of the dominant forces in Saudi Arabian football, punished moments of slack defending to edge a five-goal contest, despite Pirates enjoying long spells of control in possession.

‘Result not a reflection of the game’

Ouaddou insisted there were major positives to take from the performance, particularly in attack and in how his side managed the ball.

“I think the result is not the reflection of the game. I can say that I was really happy about the performance of the two teams. Because there is one team that played 60 minutes and the other one 30 minutes,” he said, referring to his use of split squads across the match.

“And I think we started the game quite low in terms of intensity. Again, we conceded that goal. After we came back quickly.

“I think we had really interesting movements in the last third. In terms of chance creation. I think Pirates was spot on today.

“The way that we wanted to keep the ball. To be dominant with the ball, I think we were really spot on.”

The coach’s remarks underline a clear dual message: satisfaction with the team’s offensive fluency but frustration that defensive focus has dipped from last season’s standards.

Fitness levels rising in Spain

Ouaddou also stressed that the primary objective of the Spanish camp is to build the physical and tactical base for the long season ahead, rather than to chase pre-season results.

“Overall, in terms of physicality, the team is coming very close to the intensity that we want. And in that area, I’m very happy,” he said.

The fixture against Al Ittihad formed part of a challenging set of friendlies arranged to test Pirates against high-calibre opposition. Earlier outings had brought promising results but also exposed the same vulnerability: an inability to keep clean sheets.

As the Buccaneers move deeper into their European camp, the focus is likely to sharpen on defensive organisation, transitions, and concentration levels late in games.

With expectations high for the coming domestic season, Ouaddou’s public emphasis on tightening up at the back is a clear indication that, for all the attacking flair on show, Pirates’ ambitions will hinge on how quickly they can close the gaps in their rearguard.