Pirates’ Ouaddou bemoans lack of control despite CKO win

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was delighted to reach the Carling Black Label Knockout semifinals with a 1-0 win at home to Sekhukhune United on Saturday.

Pirates beat Sekhukhune again

But Ouaddou was not impressed with the way his side failed to control the game, as Sekhukhune launched a late rally at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

This was Pirates’ fourth consecutive win this season over Sekhukhune, a run in which the Buccaneers have also not conceded a goal.

“The target was to go to the next stage. We knew we were playing a team for the fourth time in a row, and a team who were not coming here to give you the game,” Ouaddou told SuperSport TV after the match.

“They were very aggressive and compact, it was difficult to find space, but we manage to score in the first half. If we are honest the game could have finished with three or four more goals. But well done to the boys we go to the semifinals.

“Thanks also to the fans for the support. But we have to work on control. We are happy to go to the semifinals, but not like that. We have to have more control, we were panicking for nothing. We had the opportunity to kill the game but we kicked the ball in the stands, there is still a lot of work to do.”

19-year-old Mpho Padime scored on his first start for the Buccaneers, making the most of a fortuitous bounce from a Tshepang Moremi cross. Ouaddou again benched Bafana Bafana star Oswin Appollis, who came off the bench in the second half and immediately made an impact.

‘He is one of our best players’

“It was an opportunity for us to give a chance to Padime and (Sifiso) Luthuli,” said Ouaddou.

“People have to understand we are managing a group of 40 players and we have to keep everyone motivated. I have already explained the situation with Appollis. You see in PSG now Lus Enrique has said he will only play (Ashraf) Hakimi in January.

“We have seen with the numbers (of games he has played) the guy (Appollis) risks injury and we don’t want to lose him. There is nothing about Appollis. He is one of our best players and we want to protect him for important games.”