Ouaddou warns Orlando Pirates against underestimating Milford in Carling Knockout Cup

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has cautioned his side that their Carling Knockout Cup Last 16 tie against Milford FC will be far more difficult than their home draw might suggest.

The defending champions were drawn to face the Betway Premiership newcomers at the Orlando Amstel Arena, although the date and kick-off time have not yet been confirmed.

Ouaddou was speaking at the official Carling Knockout Cup draw and launch in Fourways, where he welcomed the prospect of playing in front of the club’s supporters but rejected any assumption that Orlando Pirates had been handed an easy route into the quarter-finals.

The match will be a quick rematch between the two sides. They met in the opening round of the Betway Premiership season on 1 August 2026, when Orlando Pirates won 2-0 at home.

Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi scored in that match to secure the points for the Soweto club. However, Ouaddou said the performance of Milford had reinforced his belief that the newly promoted side would prove a serious challenge to many teams.

“As for the game, I think the advantage and the positive is playing at home,” Ouaddou said.

“Playing in front of our fans is an advantage, but it will be a difficult game. If you remember when we played Milford in the first game of the season, I said that not many teams are going to beat them.

“So I think they have a lot of confidence; it’s a well-coached team, they are disciplined and organised, and they can run as well. So it will not be an easy game.”

Milford have made an encouraging start to life in the top flight and currently sit comfortably inside the Betway Premiership’s top five.

The Stallions have collected 12 points from eight league matches, recording three wins and three draws while losing only twice.

Their form has helped establish them as one of the division’s most difficult teams to break down, despite their status as top-flight debutants.

For Orlando Pirates, the cup tie represents an opportunity to continue the defence of the trophy, but Ouaddou’s comments underline the respect the champions have for Milford after their earlier meeting.

The Moroccan coach’s initial assessment of the newcomers was made before that opening-day encounter, when he warned that few teams would beat them. Their results since then have strengthened that view, setting up a demanding knockout contest in Soweto.