Orlando Pirates’ 11-Match Home Winning Streak Ends Against Mamelodi Sundowns
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Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has shared his thoughts following his team’s 2-1 defeat to fierce title rivals Mamelodi Sundowns at the FNB Stadium on Wednesday evening.
The result saw Masandawana end Pirates’ impressive 11-match home winning streak, with Brayan Leon’s first-half brace proving decisive. A deflected strike from Patrick Maswanganyi gave the Buccaneers a lifeline, but it wasn’t enough to secure a comeback.
With this victory, Sundowns have closed the gap to just three points behind the DStv Premiership log leaders — and still have a game in hand — keeping the title race wide open.
Ouaddou Reflects on “A Game of Two Halves”
Speaking after the match, Ouaddou described the encounter as a classic “game of two halves.”
“In the first half, we tried to stay compact and play in transition. It worked at times because we had good possession and created chances, but we were not clinical,” said Ouaddou.
“Mamelodi Sundowns were more efficient. Going into halftime 2-0 down was tough, but I think the boys reacted well in the second half. We pushed hard after scoring early, but we just couldn’t find that equaliser.”
Ouaddou praised his players’ fighting spirit and emphasised that the title race is far from over.
“I can say Sundowns had the first half and Pirates had the second half, but without that second goal, it’s disappointing. Still, nothing is lost — we’ll keep fighting until the end.”
Focus Shifts to Nedbank Cup and Soweto Derby
Both teams will now turn their attention to the Nedbank Cup fixtures before the Buccaneers return to FNB Stadium for one of South Africa’s biggest football spectacles — the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs on 28 February.
