Abdeslam Ouaddou Admits He Was Surprised by Former Kaizer Chiefs Coach’s Tactics vs Orlando Pirates

• Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou revealed his side were caught off guard by Durban City's aggressive approach in the first half
• Goals from Lebone Seema and Tshepang Moremi in the second half sealed a 2-0 victory for the Buccaneers at the Orlando Amstel Arena
• Ouaddou credited goalkeeper Sipho Chaine for keeping the score level at the break before tactical changes transformed the contest

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has admitted his team were caught off guard by Durban City's physical and aggressive play during their PSL fixture on Thursday evening, despite the Buccaneers ultimately running out convincing 2-0 winners.

Second-half goals from Lebone Seema and Tshepang Moremi sealed the result at the Orlando Amstel Arena, but the victory was far from straightforward, with Durban City controlling large portions of the opening half.

**Chaine Rescues Pirates Before the Break**

Speaking to SuperSport after the final whistle, Ouaddou acknowledged that the KwaZulu-Natal side could have gone in at halftime with a two-goal advantage of their own. "I think in the first half we deserved- Durban deserved to score at least 2-0 and thanks to Sipho Chaine that really saved the team," he said.

Read also

Stormers coach John Dobson drops big Sacha Feinberg-Mngomezulu bombshell for October

The coach also pointed to a tactical surprise from the visitors, noting that Pirates had prepared for a different defensive setup. "We were surprised by this back-five, we thought they would come with a back-four," Ouaddou explained, adding that adjustments made at the interval proved decisive.

**Second Half Described as One of the Best

Ouaddou was effusive in his praise of the team's performance after the restart, describing it as among the finest half-hour displays produced under his tenure. "I think the second half was just fantastic... For me, one of the best second halves that we played since now," he told SuperSport.

He highlighted the team's ability to play forward, find movement between defensive lines and convert from set-pieces as key to the turnaround. "The players played the football we want, playing forward, between the lines, we found the third-man running between the space and we scored in the set-pieces, so the second half was really perfect and credit has to be given to the boys."

The result extends Pirates' strong run of form and underlines Ouaddou's growing influence at the club since taking charge of the Buccaneers.

Source: Briefly News