Ouaddou: Orlando Pirates will not underestimate La Cure Sylvester

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou said the team will not underestimate Mauritian club La Cure Sylvester in the return leg of the Champions League preliminary round. The match will take place on Saturday at Orlando Stadium in South Africa, while the first game in Mauritius ended in a 0-0 draw, TimesLIVE reports.

Draw after the first match

Ouaddou stressed that there are no longer any small teams in African football. According to him, La Cure Sylvester showed in the first home match that it can put up a worthy fight against a stronger opponent.

To avoid a penalty shootout or elimination from the tournament, Orlando Pirates need to score. The coach noted that the team must maintain its structure regardless of the chosen approach, including to prevent the opponent from making quick transitions into attack.

Young squad and tactics

The coach said his team had prepared for the meeting and knows how to exploit the opponent's weaknesses. He also noted that motivation and fighting spirit can help a team stand up to the favourite in a two-legged tie.

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In the first game in Mauritius, Ouaddou named inexperienced Sbangani Zulu, Christian Derbysher, Simphiwe Selepe, Mteteleni Mtiyane and Kamren Dancin in the starting lineup. Neo Rapu, Kabelo Kgositsile and Bolale Ngwato came on as substitutes.

According to the coach, Orlando Pirates have a young squad, and some players are appearing in the Champions League for the first time this season. He added that compared with the teams that played in the tournament last year and two years ago, seven or eight experienced footballers have left the club.

Ouaddou believes his players should act more aggressively and play with more transitions. At the same time, the style of play should depend on the condition of the pitch: in unfavourable conditions, the team may opt for simpler and more direct football, while players must assess the situation before receiving the ball in order to make decisions faster.

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