Pirates’ Ouaddou admits to a near-costly mistake in Soweto derby

Orlando Pirates' head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has admitted to a tactical error that nearly resulted in a loss during the Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs. Despite conceding one goal, the Buccaneers emerged victorious with a 2-1 score, thanks to goals from Yanela Mbuthuma and Tshepang Moremi. Speaking following the match, Ouaddou admitted he attempted to outsmart the Chiefs by deploying Deon Hotto as a right-back, but the strategy fell short of expectations.

"I think this one I will take the blame, and this time I will not blame my players. We have to blame the coach for the first half. I got it wrong," Ouaddou said after the game. The coach explained his choice of starting Hotto over Bulelani Sigomoshe, another player who had been performing well in the right-back position in recent games.

Ouaddou opted for Hotto due to his experience, aiming to counter the right-footed opponent and safeguard Sigomoshe, who had been excelling in the last few matches. Ouaddou concluded by praising Hotto's seamless integration into the team, having moved from Milford to join the Buccaneers.