Ouaddou calls for sharper finishing after Pirates edge Chiefs

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says his side must become more clinical after their 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto Derby.

Pirates created further opportunities to increase their advantage late in the match, with Oswin Appollis appearing to score before the effort was ruled out for offside. Ouaddou said he wanted to examine the incident before reaching a firm conclusion.

“I think if we have to speak about the chances that we missed, we have to speak about the goal that we scored. I have to check, but I’m not sure it’s offside,” Ouaddou told journalists.

The coach warned that missed chances could allow opponents to gain confidence and punish a team, particularly in a match where both sides had attacking opportunities.

“If you are not efficient in the area of the two boxes, you can guess that the opponent will have his momentum and he will punish you,” he added.

Ouaddou said improving Pirates’ finishing remained a priority, pointing to the contrast between the number of chances they created last season and the goals they scored from them.

“Again, you remember last season, I think we were the club in Africa, the continent, that created the most chances regarding the data, but the conversion was poor.

“So, we keep working. On our side, we are working, we make a lot of IDPs, specifics with the strikers, with the midfielders. We are doing the job, but the Champions League is coming and we need a little bit to be in a rush, because we need to put goals, because I don’t want to regret that moment.”

The Moroccan coach acknowledged that Kaizer Chiefs had threatened during an entertaining derby and felt they could have scored three times. However, he believed Pirates had created enough chances to find the net on five occasions.

“And again today, of course, Kaizer Chiefs had their moments. They could have scored as well, I think three goals, if I’m honest, but we could have scored five goals as well.”

The victory gave Pirates the result they wanted, but Ouaddou’s comments underlined his concern that a lack of efficiency could become costly when the Champions League begins. He said the club was continuing to work with its strikers and midfielders through specific individual development plans as it seeks to improve its conversion rate.