Ouaddou opens up about tactical decision after Orlando Pirates’ Soweto Derby win

OUADDO ADMITS HIS SURPRISE TACTIC FAILED AGAINST KAIZER CHIEFS DESPITE PIRATES’ SOWETO DERBY VICTORY

JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA — 31 OCTOBER 2026

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has made a surprising admission following his team’s hard-fought 2-1 victory over Kaizer Chiefs in Saturday’s highly anticipated Soweto Derby at FNB Stadium.

Despite securing all three points against their biggest rivals, the Moroccan tactician acknowledged that one of his tactical decisions did not produce the desired results and nearly cost the Buccaneers the match.

Going into the encounter, Ouaddou had hinted that Pirates could introduce a surprise element against Amakhosi. That surprise turned out to be the decision to deploy experienced Namibian international Deon Hotto at right-back, despite the player’s natural preference for operating on the left side of defence.

The Pirates coach explained that the decision was an attempt to find a solution to the team’s right-back situation, particularly with Kamogelo Sebelebele unavailable.

However, the experiment failed to work as expected, forcing Ouaddou to make adjustments during the match.

Speaking after the encounter, the Pirates mentor openly accepted responsibility for the unsuccessful tactical approach.

“When I told you about the surprise, it was Hotto as a right-back. But I cannot tell you that it was successful. We tried something because he has experience playing left-back. We said maybe at right-back. We were looking for a solution, but I think it was not successful. That’s why we changed afterwards,” Ouaddou explained.

His admission comes after Pirates endured a difficult opening half against their Soweto rivals, with Chiefs creating several promising opportunities.

The Buccaneers initially took the lead through Yanela Mbuthuma, but Pule Mmodi restored parity for Amakhosi, sending both teams into the half-time break level at 1-1.

Ouaddou subsequently introduced tactical and personnel changes, which helped Pirates regain control of the contest.

Tshepang Moremi eventually delivered the decisive moment in the second half, finding the back of the net to secure a memorable 2-1 victory for the Buccaneers.

The Pirates coach also praised his team’s ability to respond after struggling during the opening 45 minutes, emphasising the importance of resilience, defensive solidity and efficiency in modern football.

The victory represents another significant result for Pirates as they continue their impressive Betway Premiership campaign.

Meanwhile, Ouaddou’s honest assessment of his tactical experiment highlights the challenges facing the coach as he continues building a competitive team capable of delivering results across different competitions.

For Pirates supporters, the most important outcome remains the derby victory, although the coach’s admission has provided an interesting insight into the tactical decisions behind their triumph.

Source https://x.com/Soccer_Laduma/status/2116595079737409598

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