Abdeslam Ouaddou Sends Strong Title Warning After Orlando Pirates Stumble Against Durban City

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou delivered a bold championship warning after his side were held to a draw by Durban City, missing the chance to leapfrog Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the Betway Premiership standings.

Despite the setback, Pirates still have an opportunity to win the title after Sundowns wrapped up their season with a 3-2 loss to TS Galaxy. The Buccaneers will now head into their final fixture against ORBIT College knowing that victory could finally end their 14-year wait for league glory.

Following the stalemate with Durban City, Pirates climbed to 66 points but stayed two points behind the defending champions. Their destiny now rests on securing maximum points in the season finale.

Ouaddou applauded Durban City’s competitive display and insisted he remains confident his team can rise to the occasion in the decisive clash.

“I mentioned midway through the campaign that the title race could go right down to the final day,” Ouaddou said during his interview on SuperSport TV.

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“Now we have to go and win it in the last match because I truly believe we can.”

He also praised the fighting spirit shown by Durban City, saying their determination added excitement to the league race and highlighted the unpredictability of South African football.

The Pirates mentor admitted his players appeared tense at times, particularly after halftime, but attributed that pressure to the club’s long wait for league success and the youthfulness of his squad.

“With one of the youngest squads in the PSL, it’s understandable that the occasion brings pressure,” he explained.

“You could see in the second half that some decisions were affected by nerves.”

Even so, Ouaddou ended with another message of belief for his players, urging them to seize the moment and finish the job in the final game of the season.

Source: Briefly News