Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is confident his side can bounce back from a ‘tough week’ and maintain their challenge for the Betway Premiership title.
The Buccaneers were stunned in the Nedbank Cup last 16 on Saturday evening by Motsepe Foundation Championship side Casric Stars. The Mpumalanga side beat Pirates 5-4 on penalties at the Orlando Amstel Arena, after neither side had been able to break the deadlock over 120 minutes.
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The Stars defeat came a few days after Pirates had lost 2-1 to Premiership title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns at FNB Stadium. Pirates are still top of the table, but eight-time reigning champions Masandawana are just three points behind, with a game in hand.
“Of course we lost in the previous game against Sundowns and it was very important to wash the brain and give confidence and trust to the players,” Ouaddou told journalists after the loss to Casric Stars.
“This game (the loss to Casric) will also shock the players, but we will tell them we still have 13 cup finals coming. Nothing is lost, we are going to find our resourcefulness.”
“It has been a tough week, if I count the first part of the season this is the second time this has happened to us.
“We have to find resourcefulness like we did at the beginning of the season when we bounced back.”
Pirates lost their first two Premiership games of the season, but then went unbeaten for 14 league games before the midweek loss to Sundowns, picking up 38 points out of a possible 42.
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A run like that over the last 13 games will almost certainly win Pirates the title. Next up for the Buccaneers is the Soweto derby on Saturday against Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium.
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