We can smell the trophy – Orlando Pirates coach Ouaddou on league title chase  

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says his outfit are no longer just chasing Premiership title, stressing the trophy is now within sensory distance as the season reaches a tense climax.

After a commanding 3-0 win over Magesi FC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, the Buccaneers tightened the pressure on leaders Mamelodi Sundowns F.C. and turned what was once a distant chase into a full-blown title race.

Goals from Patrick Maswanganyi, Oswin Appollis and Kamohelo Sebelebele sealed another statement performance from a side that has suddenly found ruthless consistency at exactly the right time.

With Sundowns sitting on 68 points and Pirates on 65, the gap is now just three points with two matches remaining — a scenario that has shifted the atmosphere from cautious optimism to something far more intense inside the Pirates camp.

Ouaddou, visibly energized after the victory, captured that emotional shift in striking terms.

“We can smell the trophy,” he said, a phrase that immediately reflected how close the contest has become. “We are not touching it yet, but we are smelling it. It’s there.”

It was a rare admission from a coach still technically in pursuit rather than possession, but one that underlined just how much belief has grown within the Soweto giants.

For a club that has gone more than a decade without a league title, the idea of “smelling” the trophy speaks to something deeper — the sense that years of rebuilding, frustration and near-misses may finally be converging into something tangible.

Ouaddou was quick to balance emotion with control, aware that the job is still incomplete.

“We have two games,” he added. “Everything is still open. But what I see now is a team that believes, a team that is pushing, and a team that can feel what is at stake.”

That feeling was evident on the pitch as Pirates delivered another composed and clinical performance, with each goal reinforcing their growing confidence and attacking rhythm.

Maswanganyi’s opener set the tone, Appollis added control and flair, and Sebelebele’s finish sealed a performance that looked less like survival and more like a side intent on forcing destiny.

But beyond the scoreline, it is the momentum that now defines Pirates’ season. Every match feels heavier, every point more valuable, and every Sundowns result more closely watched.

For Ouaddou, the Premiership title is no longer an abstract target, stressing optimism of securing title.