Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the pain of their recent CAF Champions League exit is still fresh, but the team is now fully focused on winning the Carling Knockout Cup as a vital response.
The Buccaneers secured their place in the final yesterday, edging Richards Bay with a tense 1-0 victory in the semi-final clash at Moses Mabhida Stadium. They now await the winner of the second semi-final between Golden Arrows and Marumo Gallants.
Turning Continental Disappointment into Domestic Glory
Ouaddou openly acknowledged the disappointment surrounding their premature exit from the Champions League, which he confirmed was a major target for the club.
“We cannot hide this disappointment of the CAF because it was one of our targets,” Ouaddou stated. “But let’s believe in this one star… The lights are still green for the other competitions and you can be sure that the players, the staff, will give 100% to try to reach that target.”
The coach emphasized that they are now concentrating on the league and the remaining cup competitions, determined to give their best to secure silverware.
Successful KZN Trip Capped by Final Berth
This latest victory capped off a highly successful week for Pirates in KwaZulu-Natal. The team’s trip started with a crucial Betway Premiership win midweek against Golden Arrows, followed by yesterday’s semi-final triumph.
Ouaddou praised his team’s performance against a challenging Richards Bay side: “The cup games are always difficult, you can win those kinds of games in small details… We played against a compact block, aggressive team that didn’t give us many spaces. We had to be patient.”
He lauded the players for their application: “I think my players were brave, they had a lot of resilience today and I have to congratulate them for that. I think the mission coming to Durban was to take three points against Golden Arrows and to qualify for the final of the Carling Cup.”
Key Detail: The Goalscorer
- Crucially, the winning goal for Orlando Pirates against Richards Bay was scored by forward Zakhele Lepasa, whose strike in the first half proved to be the difference-maker, ensuring the Buccaneers’ passage to the final.
