Abdeslam Ouaddou Praises Orlando Pirates Players After Durban City Win
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou praised his players for responding to his tactical changes after the Buccaneers secured a 2-0 victory over Durban City on Thursday night. The result saw the reigning champions collect another important three points and move within four points of league leaders Mamelodi Sundowns. Pirates endured a difficult opening 45 minutes as Durban City applied intense pressure and created several dangerous opportunities. However, the Soweto giants produced a much-improved second-half performance to take control of the match. Goals from Lebone Seema and Tshepang Moremi eventually secured a fourth consecutive league victory for the Buccaneers.
Ouaddou admitted that Pirates were uncomfortable during the first half as Durban City surprised them with their aggressive approach. The visitors pressed with purpose and created opportunities that could have changed the outcome of the match before the break. The Pirates coach acknowledged that Durban City could have been leading by two goals at half-time if not for the performance of goalkeeper Sipho Chaine. Chaine made several important saves to keep the Buccaneers in the contest and give them an opportunity to regroup during the interval. Ouaddou credited his goalkeeper before explaining how the coaching staff used the break to identify the problems and make tactical adjustments.
One of the main challenges for Pirates was Durban City’s decision to line up with a back five, something Ouaddou and his technical team had not expected. The change affected the way Pirates attempted to build their attacks and contributed to their struggles in the first half. During the interval, the coaching staff adjusted their approach to find more space between the lines and improve the movement of their attacking players. The changes immediately produced a different Pirates side after the restart, with the home team playing further forward and creating more opportunities. Ouaddou described the second half as one of the best performances his team had produced since the start of the campaign.
Pirates eventually broke the deadlock in the 57th minute through Seema, who rose highest from a corner and powered a header into the net. The goal gave the Buccaneers the reward their improved performance deserved and increased the pressure on Durban City. Pirates continued to attack rather than allowing the visitors to regain control, and their approach eventually produced another goal. Moremi doubled the advantage after a well-worked attacking move created space around the edge of the Durban City penalty area. The forward showed composure to finish the opportunity and give Pirates a two-goal cushion.
Ouaddou was particularly pleased with the way his players implemented the tactical instructions after half-time. He highlighted the team’s improved ability to play forward, operate between the lines and use third-man runs to exploit spaces in the Durban City defence. These adjustments allowed Pirates to move the ball more effectively and create better opportunities in the final third. The team’s improvement also showed the importance of the coaching staff’s ability to identify problems during a match and react quickly. For Ouaddou, the players’ response provided evidence that the squad can adapt when opponents present unexpected tactical challenges.
The Pirates coach also praised the wider technical team for their contribution to the changes made during the match. He explained that the staff members on the bench were able to share their observations and quickly identify what needed to change. The coaching group then worked together at half-time to develop a plan that would allow Pirates to improve their attacking play. The players responded positively to those instructions and produced a second half that was markedly different from their performance before the interval. Ouaddou believes this type of collective response will be important as Pirates face more tactical challenges throughout the season.
The victory also strengthened Pirates’ position in the early stages of the 2026/27 Betway Premiership campaign. Four consecutive wins have helped the reigning champions close the gap on Mamelodi Sundowns, with the Buccaneers now four points behind the league leaders. The clean sheet against Durban City added another positive element to a result that was secured despite a difficult first half. Pirates showed resilience by surviving the visitors’ early pressure before taking control after the tactical changes. The performance demonstrated that the team can respond during difficult matches and find ways to secure points even when the opening stages do not go according to plan.
For Ouaddou, the biggest takeaway from the Durban City match was the quality of the response after half-time. Pirates needed to make changes after struggling to deal with the visitors’ approach, and the players delivered the required improvement on the pitch. Seema’s header opened the scoring before Moremi’s finish provided further reward for the team’s attacking pressure. With the coaching staff and players working together to address the problems they faced, Pirates were able to turn a difficult encounter into another convincing victory. As the Betway Premiership campaign continues, Ouaddou will hope his team can maintain the same level of tactical flexibility, discipline and attacking quality that helped them secure all three points against Durban City.
