Ouaddou explains Pirates squad rotation after Sekhukhune victory

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the demands of a congested fixture schedule forced him to rotate his team for Tuesday’s 1-0 Betway Premiership win over Sekhukhune United.

The Buccaneers made several changes at the Orlando Amstel Arena, with regular starters Nkosinathi Sibisi and Yanela Mbuthuma among those given a rest.

Pirates had played Sekhukhune in the first leg of their MTN8 semi-final only three days before the league meeting. The two sides will meet again in the second leg of the cup tie on Saturday, leaving Ouaddou with three matches between the teams in a short period.

The Pirates manager said careful workload management was essential, particularly because his squad includes international players.

“I think when we are playing three games in a row like that, I already spoke about this case, you know, we have international players and we have to be careful about the load,” Ouaddou told journalists.

“It’s our job to anticipate possible injuries. So, of course, we rested Sibisi. Mbuthuma, I think he had a lot of game time, and it was the moment as well to give him some rest and to see the other strikers as well, that’s very important.”

Ouaddou felt Tuesday’s match provided the best opportunity to make changes, with another significant MTN8 fixture approaching at the weekend.

“It was the right moment to make the rotation, because if I don’t do it at that moment, I don’t know where I will be able to do it,” he explained.

The French coach also emphasised that the decision was not simply intended to protect established members of the starting XI. It also allowed other players in the squad to gain valuable minutes and demonstrate that they could contribute when called upon.

“But like I said, it was an opportunity for some players to show, you know, and we gave the chance to everybody,” he added.

Pirates’ victory gave them a positive result from the second meeting with Sekhukhune in the space of four days. Their immediate focus will now switch back to the MTN8, where they will face the same opponents in Saturday’s semi-final second leg.

The short turnaround means Ouaddou must continue balancing the demands of competition with the need to keep his squad fit. His decision to rest Sibisi and Mbuthuma formed part of that wider approach, while also giving other strikers and squad members an opportunity to impress.

The Buccaneers will now prepare for the decisive cup fixture, having already secured a league win against Sekhukhune during an unusually demanding sequence of matches.