Abdeslam Ouaddou addresses Maswanganyi absence in Sekhukhune win amid exit rumours

22.08.26 FT MTN 8 Cup South Africa

Sekhukhune United

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Orlando Pirates

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Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has addressed the absence of Patrick Maswanganyi in their 1-0 win over Sekhukhune United in the first leg of the MTN8 semi-final on Saturday.

The Buccaneers have one foot in the final, thanks to a powerful shot from the reliable Deon Hotto, who fired one into the roof of Melusi Buthelezi's net in the Babina Noko goal.

Pirates, however, had to overcome Sekhukhune without the influential Maswanganyi in the no.10 role and Tshepang Moremi, who has now missed the last two matches.

Ouaddou says Moremi is still nursing an injury he sustained in the one-all draw with AmaZulu FC in the Betway Premiership, but refrained from delving deep into the absence of Maswanganyi amid exit rumours.

“For Moremi you know that he got a knock the last game, so we wanted to protect him and I hope to have him for the next game. So, we wanted to protect him,” said the Pirates boss.

"For the other player, I cannot say too much about the issue. He's not injured, he was available but I cannot speak about something that I don't master in.

With the Soweto giants heading into the second leg of the cup semi-final with a slender advantage, the 47-year-old tactician warned the contest is far from being over, but backs his troops to get over the line on home soil.

“I'm happy for the game, of course, because the target was to come here and go back with a result. But at the same time, it's only the first half, we can face a completely different game in one week,” Ouaddou added.

"I don't know if we will face different players because you know their best players played to face Pirates today, so I think we will face quite the same team, maybe a different approach in that game but it will be quite the same team.

"We will have time to think about that game, we will prepare it. But definitely in front of our fans in the Arena, with a bigger pitch, we hope definitely hope to qualify for the final, but it was only the first half.

Notably, Pirates host Sekhukhune at the Orlando Amstel Arena in a Betway Premiership clash on Tuesday, 25 August, before the decisive second leg of their MTN8 semi-final clash.

Hlayisani Magoro

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Football journalist from South Africa covering African football news, exclusive stories and key events while sharing insights with passionate fans of the game.

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