Following the 4-0 victory over Kruger United in the Betway Premier League match, Orlando Pirates coach Abdelslam Waddu expressed confidence in the team's start in the CAF Champions League tournament. Although Orlando Pirates is not yet a perfectly tuned machine, Waddu is pleased with his team's effectiveness, considering it a key factor in the pursuit of group stage participation in the CAF Champions League.
The team will begin its continental journey with a preliminary round match, the first game, which will take place away against Le Cuer Sylvestre on Sunday. This game is crucial for setting the tone for the remainder of the season, especially given the failure in the final qualification round against St Eloi Lupopo last season.
The lack of participation in last year's World Cup group stage nearly ended Waddu's tenure at the club, as some impatient fans felt he did not meet the standard and could not build upon the foundation laid by Jose Ribeiro, who led the team to the continental semi-finals.
The Moroccan coach received support from the club's management and justified the trust by winning the Betway Premiership title, ending a 14-year trophy drought, as well as winning the MTN8, the club's fourth consecutive title, and overcoming the team's 'jinx' in the recently rebranded Carling Knockout.
Despite structural changes, player departures, and injuries to key players, Pirates started the season strongly, occupying first place in the table and reaching the MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns. Now, Waddu wants his players to maintain this momentum on the continent, starting on Sunday.
After the 4-0 win against Kruger United at Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday evening, Waddu stated: 'We have a Champions League match that we know is very important to us, especially since we were eliminated early. So only after that will we have time to think about the MTN8.'
The four goals scored against Kruger boosted Pirates' morale before the trip to Mauritius. However, Waddu was most pleased with the involvement of his forwards—Boitumelo Radiopane, who provided an assist, and Yaneli Mbuthumu, who scored a brace in the second half.
Since Sebastian Pedersen has not fully adapted to the team's philosophy, Waddu believes that the clinical sharpness demonstrated by Radiopane and Mbuthumu strengthens the depth of the squad in the final third.
Waddu noted: 'There are matches where we created many chances but couldn't be effective. In this game, we didn't create many chances, but we managed to score four goals. Well done to the guys. These goals were scored at an important time of the season when we will be playing in the Champions League and MTN8. Therefore, I think it is very important for the guys to score and provide healthy competition, which will be important going forward.'
Pirates could have crushed the newcomers, strengthening their position at the bottom of the table, but Waddu understands that the opponents were not easy, especially after the game almost turned around late in the first half. He also praised the team's defensive line for maintaining another 'clean sheet', conceding only two goals in seven matches this season.
'We played away and could not afford to underestimate this Kruger team,' said Waddu. 'When you see this team's lineup, they have experienced players who have played in big leagues. They have big game experience. Therefore, it was important for us not to miss out. We know that when we are strong defensively, we have a 99.9% chance of winning the game. The guys were strong defensively. They tried to block space, which allowed us to play in transitional phases. We caught them and used the space they left behind. We cannot always focus on beautiful football. Our mission was to win today, and we achieved it. It was a successful mission.'
