Johannesburg – Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has admitted to feeling the strain as his side prepares for a crucial MTN8 semi-final first leg clash against Mamelodi Sundowns at a sold-out Orlando Stadium this Saturday at 3pm.
The Soweto giants, currently struggling for form, enter the match on the back of two consecutive league defeats — a 1-0 loss to Sekhukhune United followed by a midweek 2-1 defeat to Marumo Gallants in Bloemfontein. Sundowns, in contrast, head into the encounter buoyed by a 2-0 home victory over AmaZulu in Pretoria.
Speaking at the MTN8 media conference in Parktown on Thursday, the Moroccan tactician described the match as a meeting of “two of the biggest teams not only in South Africa, but on the continent.” He said his side was eager to deliver a strong performance for supporters despite recent setbacks.
“There’s always pressure when you coach such a big club,” Ouaddou said. “We must turn that into something positive and fight to bring back the victories and happiness to our fans.”
Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso, set for his first cup meeting with Pirates, refused to dwell on historical results between the two sides. “I live for the present in order to write for the future,” he said. “Form going into this type of match doesn’t matter. What counts is the performance on the day.”
The clash, dubbed by many as the “final before the final,” is expected to be fiercely contested, with both teams eyeing a place in the MTN8 final.
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