Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says several members of his squad are still feeling the effects of playing for Bafana Bafana at the FIFA World Cup, despite the club beginning the season with a 2-0 victory over Milford.
The Buccaneers secured all three points in their opening PSL fixture on Saturday through goals from Oswin Appollis and Tshepang Moremi. However, Ouaddou was not completely satisfied with the performance and believed his side should have put the match beyond Milford’s reach before half-time.
“Look, it was not an easy game for the opening game of the PSL. I expected a little bit more in terms of being dominant on the ball, more control on the ball,” he said after the match.
“I think first half even we managed to create some chances to kill the game.”
The Betway Premiership-winning coach said Orlando Pirates lacked the level of control he wanted, particularly after the interval. He made tactical changes to help his team find more space between Milford’s defensive and midfield lines, while also asking his players to show greater patience in possession.
“I don’t think we had the control of the game, in the second half we made some tactical adjustments in order to find more players in the half spaces and at the same time to be more patient to give the opportunity to the second line to give us to find the run.”
Ouaddou specifically identified Appollis, Moremi and Thalente Mbatha as players who remained affected by their involvement with Bafana Bafana at the World Cup in June.
“We can see that some of the players still a little bit tired with the World Cup, but good three points to take and we move on,” the Pirates coach said.
Despite his reservations about the display, Ouaddou welcomed the result as Orlando Pirates made a winning start. The victory gives the club an early foundation as it prepares for its next challenge of the campaign.
Attention now turns to the MTN8, where Ouaddou will attempt to defend the trophy he won after joining Orlando Pirates. The competition provides the Buccaneers with an opportunity to build on their opening league success, although the coach will also be conscious of managing the workload of players returning from international duty.
For now, the focus remains on the positive outcome against Milford. Orlando Pirates took the points without conceding, while Appollis and Moremi provided the goals that settled the contest.
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