Abdeslam Ouaddou, head coach of Orlando Pirates during the Betway Premiership 2025/26 football match between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium in Johannesburg on 18 February 2026 ©Nokwanda Zondi/BackpagePix
Thursday Feb 19, 2026. 12:07
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is adamant that his side’s 2-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday is not the be-all and end-all of their season.
Sundowns claimed victory in the top-of-the-table clash which saw the Brazilians cut Pirates’ lead on the Betway Premiership table to three points.
Though the result could shape the title race going forward, as Pirates seek to dethrone Sundowns, it was far from a title decider, with Pirates still having 13 league games to go before the end of the season.
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes that the race is far from over, but knows his team will have to buckle down as they find themselves in a situation they were aiming to avoid.
“The number of the game that we still have, everything can can happen, you know, and 13 games i think i have to say 13 or 14 games for me, we still have to work to give everything because you can have many surprises in in football and we have to fight until at the end of the of the league,” said Ouaddou, speaking in the post-match press conference.
“The PSL is a very good league with good teams and this scenario, we wanted to avoid it but it happened and it’s not the end of the world and we have to keep working and to keep believing.”
Having already claimed silverware in this season’s MTN 8 and Carling Knockout, Ouaddou stated his side has much to be proud of and must continue with their heads held high.
“We are not going to have [our] heads down. We need to be proud, not of the loss but to be proud of what the guys have achieved since three or four months and the adventure, the journey must continue because we still have a lot of games.”
Pirates will be looking to get back in the wins column on Saturday as they host Casric Stars of the Motsepe Foundation Championship in the Nedbank Cup round of 16 at the Orlando Amstel Arena.
By Nic Gleeson