Orlando Pirates coach Abdelslam Waddu refuses rotation before CAF Champions League match

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.'

The Orlando Pirates team advanced to the MTN8 tournament final after winning the second group match against Sekhukhune United with a score of 2-0, securing an overall victory of 3-0. The match took place on Saturday at the Orlando Stadium.

In the MTN8 semi-final, the second match between Orlando Pirates and Sekhukhune United ended with a 3-0 victory for the Pirates team, totaling 4-0. Before this match, Pirates held an advantage in the total goal aggregate of 1-0.

Although the Buccaneers dominated throughout the game, two of the three goals scored were registered during the decisive two-minute period just before halftime, allowing the home team to achieve a confident victory.

The Sea Robbers demonstrated threat early in the match, creating at least five scoring opportunities within the first thirty minutes. In the 27th minute, Pirates almost managed to equalize when Gamphani Lungu was unmarked in the penalty area, but the goal was skillfully deflected over the crossbar by Sekhukhune goalkeeper Siyabonga Dladla.

A couple of minutes later, Ntando Selepe also had a chance, but his shot went wide of the post. Pirates finally capitalized on their dominance in the 37th minute. Yanela Mbutuma broke through down the left flank, opening up the Sekhukhune defense, after which Tapelo Mokobodi received the cross in front of the defender and calmly directed the ball into the corner of the goal.

Shortly after, a quick counterattack began from a Sekhukhune corner kick, leading to Lungu being one-on-one with the goalkeeper. The striker did not miss his chance, shooting past the keeper and doubling the team's advantage that day.

After the end of regular time, Kamogelo Sebelebele scored the third goal for Pirates, concluding a perfect day for the Soweto giants. This result continues an impressive start to the campaign for Pirates, who are also jointly in first place in the Betway Premiership table with Mamelodi Sundowns, having earned 10 points after four matches. With this victory, the Soweto giants maintain momentum at the start of the season, aiming to win major trophies in all tournaments.

Pirates will now await the winner of the match between Sundowns and Golden Arrows on Sunday to determine their opponent in the cup final.