After going down to Mamelodi Sundowns in the league last week, the pressure will be on Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou as the title race intensifies.
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The pressure on Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has intensified sharply after a damaging week that has shaken their season.
It began with a 2-1 Betway Premiership defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns – a result that slashed Pirates’ lead at the top of the table from what could have been nine points to just three. And it deepened on Saturday when the Buccaneers were dumped out of the Nedbank Cup by second-tier Casric Stars, losing 6-5 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes.
In the space of seven days, a campaign built on control and composure has been jolted by back-to-back setbacks.
Before the clash with Sundowns, the mighty Sea Robbers held a somewhat comfortable advantage at the summit. Victory would have stretched the gap and placed them firmly in pole position in the race to the crown.
Instead, that cushion has all but disappeared. Sundowns now trail by only three points and, with a game in hand, will believe the momentum has swung decisively in their favour.
The cup exit has only amplified the scrutiny. Pirates laboured to break down lower-league opposition and ultimately paid the price in a tense shootout. Beyond the elimination itself, the performance raised uncomfortable questions about their cutting edge and their ability to impose themselves in high-pressure moments.
With 13 league games left to play, all eyes will now be on Ouaddou. The Moroccan has rightly been praised for how he has his team playing this season. He has trusted his players to execute his tactical instructions, and they have responded. Pirates have shown versatility in switching formations and approaches, while individuals have consistently delivered when called upon.
But this is their sternest examination yet.
AmaSandawana have hit form at precisely the right time. In new striker Brayan Leon, they possess a South American forward who knows how to find the net. The 25-year-old Colombian has scored six goals in seven appearances since arriving, giving Sundowns a ruthless edge during the run-in.
His second goal against Pirates – latching onto a long through pass from Aubrey Modiba and finishing with conviction – was emblematic of a team peaking at the business end of the campaign.
However, Sundowns were themselves handed a setback in the Nedbank Cup this weekend, going down 2-0 to fellow top-flight side TS Galaxy and suffering elimination of their own.
For Ouaddou and Pirates, the challenge is now psychological as much as tactical. They must rediscover their sharpness in front of goal while tightening up defensively in decisive moments – because any lapse from here will be punished by a Sundowns side that understands title run-ins better than anyone. Eight successive league crowns have hardened them for exactly this scenario.
And the pressure will crank up immediately on Saturday when Pirates face Soweto rivals Kaizer Chiefs. After a league defeat and a cup humiliation inside a week, the derby is no longer simply about bragging rights or three points. It is about restoring belief, halting momentum against them, and proving that their title charge has not begun to unravel.
Chiefs, who consider themselves part of this season’s conversation, will sense vulnerability. For Pirates and Ouaddou, the margin for error has suddenly vanished.
IOL Sport
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