Ouaddou emphasized the importance of keeping his squad together and praised his players’ unity and camaraderie.
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has hailed his team’s spirit following their victory against TS Galaxy.
A penalty in the first half from Evidence Makgopa and a late header from substitute Tshegofatso Mabasa earned the Buccaneers a 2-0 win over a stubborn Galaxy outfit in a Betway Premiership match played at the Orlando Stadium on Tuesday night.
READ MORE: Pirates move up to third spot after dramatic victory over Galaxy
The win saw the Buccaneers move up to third position on the log with 15 points after seven games, while the Rockets remained in seventh spot with 13 points after eight games.
Speaking after the game, Ouaddou emphasized the importance of keeping his squad together and praised his players’ unity and camaraderie.
“I’m pleased with the team spirit, the unity, and the solidarity of my players. We knew that the opponents would come to us with a lot of ambitions to bother us at home,” said Ouaddou during the post-match interview at the Orlando Stadium.
“We played well, and the players respected our plan, and I’m happy for the victory. It helped us to grab some points and to be close to the teams at the top, that’s what we wanted. We keep going and working, and I hope my team will keep this spirit until the end of the season.”
‘Values are very important’
With Mabasa coming off the bench to score the second goal that made sure that the Buccaneers collected all three points, Ouaddou was happy with the striker’s contribution and the team’s overall performance against Galaxy.
“You can win the match with eleven players, but if you want to win the league and competitions, you need the group. Every time I start the job in a club, I never speak about my game model at the beginning of the first session,” said the Moroccan coach.
“My priority is regarding the values. So, I speak about the values, and it is very important because that is the foundation of every project. If you don’t have strong values in the project, it can be destroyed in the middle of the season.”
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Following the win over Galaxy, Pirates will now change their focus to the Carling Knockout, where they face Siwelele FC in the last-16 round at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday (kickoff is at 3pm).
Gallants will also be playing at the same time as Pirates, and they are away to Orbit College at the Olympia Park Stadium in Rustenburg.