Abdeslam Ouaddou makes admission after Kruger United rout

01.09.26 FT South African Betway Premiership

Kruger United

0

:

Orlando Pirates

4

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has made an honest admission about his team's performance in their 4-0 thrashing of Kruger United in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday night.

The defending champions dispatched the newly promoted outfit, thanks to goals from Ghampani Lungu, Boitumelo Radiopane, and a brace from under-fire striker Yanela Mbuthuma at Mbombela Stadium.

While the Buccaneers proved clinical in the final third, Ouaddou was not impressed with how his team struggled to match the aggressiveness displayed by Abraham Mongoya's men in the first half.

“We really had a tough game, we expected this fighting spirit from this team. I think we didn't manage in the first half to respond to the aggressivity that they imposed on us in the duels in the air,” said the Pirates boss.

"I think we were not ready in the first half to be honest, we were suprised about the fighting spirit from that team.

The Bucs mentor, however, was pleased with the response from his troops in the second stanza, and the manner in which they defended and scored their goals against the run of play.

“I think a positive point in the second half is that we slightly answered the aggressiveness by the transitions. We were defending very well, we had a compact block,” Ouaddou added.

"I think in that game if you have to have something positive it's how we defended and how we were able to answer to these kinds of games. And we had some couple of transitions we managed to score.

"So, we have to analyse the game quickly and maybe improve for the next game because we need to have more control. If I have to pick something positive, it's how we defended.

"Congratulations to the boys, to the team block, the effort inside the team block, and of course, the four goals. The goals are very important for the goal difference, we didn't concede goals, clean sheet.

"And there are some games like that, of course, the boys wanted to play better. But in terms of beautiful football today I cannot say that we had a beautiful game, but sometimes it's like that - it's football.

Pirates will swing back to action with the first leg of their CAF Champions League first preliminary round clash against first-time Mauritian champions La Cure Waves at National Sports Complex on Sunday.

Hlayisani Magoro

Editorfr, en

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

Related teams and leagues

Kruger United

Orlando Pirates

South African Betway Premiership