Abdeslam Ouaddou slams Pirates showboating in CAFCL win

12.09.26 FT CAF Champions League

Orlando Pirates

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La Cure Waves SC

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Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has slammed his charges for showboating in their 3-1 win over La Cure Waves SC in the return of the CAF Champions League first preliminary round on Saturday.

The Buccaneers rallied from behind to beat the first-time Mauritian champions at the Orlando Amstel Arena, with Kabelo Kgositsile, Kamogelo Sebelebele, and Yanela Mbuthuma finding the back of the net, while Ivan Ami scored for the visitors.

Having conceded the first goal of the match six minutes from the first whistle, the Pirates boss is pleased with how his troops swiftly responded, hailing their character to bounce back from the early adversity.

“We didn't start the game like we wanted because we conceded an early goal, which was a surprise for us, we didn't expect this early goal. But I really liked the reaction of our players. The reaction to quickly score two or three minutes after [conceding] was really important,” said Ouaddou.

"It proves that our team has resources, has character, has personality. I think the fact that we scored just behind this goal gave us power and energy to lift the rhythm of the game. So, after the game I was really happy about the way that we managed the game in terms of tempo, in terms of the aim to go forward.

"We managed exactly to rectify the small mistakes that we made in Mauritius, and I have seen some patterns and some work that we have done during the week, especially the way that we found the third man behind the back four.

Ouaddou, however, expressed frustration with his players' showboating in the second stanza, calling out the lack of urgency to add to their goals tally, and says the tricks are not beneficial to the team.

“But if I have to resume the second half I was not really happy about the second half. We dropped in terms of the rhythm, it's not the rhythm I was expecting in the second half. Yes, we had more control, but we didn't manage to score,” added the Bucs mentor.

"I think we could have easily scored maybe three or four more goals. But I will repeat it again, I already repeated it last season - the rhythm dropped when we started not being serious and when we start to make showboating.

"And we have to understand that if we want to win the Champions League, if we want to be ambitious, to go far, we really need to understand that football is going forward, football is scoring goals, football is taking chances. I was really not happy about the second half.

"So, we have a second game now, we have to prepare and to be more serious because to win the Champions League, and we have the ambition to win the Champions League we don't have to hide it - we must stop these things because it doesn't help the team, it doesn't serve nobody.

"It just serves the ego of the player who's doing these things and doesn't help our team. What I want as a coach - I want goals, goals, goals and that's it, it's what I want.

Pirates will square off against Namibian champions African Stars in the second preliminary round of Africa's elite club competition, with a lucrative spot in the group stages at stake.

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.

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Orlando Pirates

La Cure Waves SC

CAF Champions League