Ouaddou says missed Lungu penalty changed MTN8 final for Pirates

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes the MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns might have taken a different course had Gamphani Lungu converted his second-half penalty.

Pirates were trailing after Teboho Mokoena’s first-half goal when they were awarded a chance to level shortly after the hour mark. But utility player Lungu saw his spot-kick saved by Ronwen Williams, allowing Sundowns to protect their advantage before eventually claiming a 2-0 victory at Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Ouaddou identified the penalty as the decisive moment in Pirates’ attempt to retain the MTN8 trophy.

“We started the game off well but then we became shy and we wanted to avoid chasing a goal, but unfortunately that did not happen. The real momentum decider of this final was our missed penalty, because if we scored that penalty the game could’ve really swung in our favour. We had other chances to score, but we also could’ve easily conceded more goals.”

The Pirates manager also acknowledged Sundowns’ contribution to a fast-paced final, saying the match had pushed his side to the limit and could have gone either way.

The defeat also raised questions about Ouaddou’s decision to leave Oswin Appollis, one of the team’s key players, on the bench for the start of the cup final.

Ouaddou explained that the decision was based on how he wanted to manage the game and use Appollis as a second-half influence.

“He is one of the best players in the country, but you know you have to play according to a strategy because we were thinking about the possibilities for him in the second half because we always wanted to bring him on quickly after the restart. He is a fantastic player, so we wanted to use him as an impact player, but Mokoena’s goal changed our plans.”

Appollis was therefore selected with an intended role as an impact substitute, but Mokoena’s goal altered the tactical approach Pirates had planned for the final.

Despite the disappointment of losing to Sundowns in Durban, Ouaddou said the experience would help his younger players develop greater maturity as they move forward.