Orlando Pirates: Abdulsalam Ouaddou gives an impression of the kind of player he is within the squad

Morocco is pleased with what its team is delivering.

Africa Today at 14:02

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Orlando Pirates: Abdulsalam Ouaddou gives an impression of the kind of player he is within the squad

Orlando Pirates have kept their winning momentum going. Their narrow 1-0 victory over African Stars means they have lost just once in 15 matches across all competitions this season, winning 12 and drawing the other two.

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That solitary defeat came against Sundowns in the MTN8 final. With 11 clean sheets in that run, it is easy to understand why the Buccaneers are so hard to beat. Coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has underlined the value of placing leaders throughout the spine of his team, with his goalkeeper setting the tone.

Ouaddou on Leadership

Speaking at his post-match press conference, as reported by IOL, Ouaddou explained his philosophy:

"The team, of course, the players, I have always given importance to the whole team in my game model, in the way that I'm coaching. But you always need a spine, and the spine is the goalkeeper, the pair of central defenders, the six, the ten and the nine. And I need to have a leader in every line."

"It's important to have a well-oiled machine. You need to have strategic leaders in every line."

Chaine's Impressive Numbers

Sipho Chaine's statistics tell a compelling story. He registered nine shutouts in 14 CAF Champions League appearances during the 2024-25 campaign. In Pirates' run to the Betway Premiership title last season, the 29-year-old kept 21 clean sheets in 30 matches.

Chaine was an ever-present for the Sea Robbers, featuring in every single minute of the title-winning campaign. It comes as no surprise that Ouaddou and his teammates hold him in such high regard. This season, Chaine has seven shutouts from eight league appearances.

Next up for Chaine and his teammates is the second leg of their CAF Champions League qualifier against African Stars on Friday, 23 October. After that comes the small matter of a Soweto Derby with Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday, 31 October.