Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has explained why Tshegofatso Mabasa and Evidence Makgopa missed the opening match of the 2025/26 season.
Pirates kicked off the new season with a dominant 2-0 victory over Polokwane City FC in the MTN8 quarter-final at Orlando Stadium this past weekend.
The Soweto giants’ goals came in the first-half after Oswin Appollis scored on debut against his former club while Patrick Maswanganyi netted the second one from the penalty spot.
Appollis is one of the new signings who were given a chance to start the match after joining the club from Polokwane City in the current transfer window.
The Bafana Bafana star was the debutant for Pirates alongside Sipho Mbule, Sihle Nduli, Yanela Mbuthuma, Tshepang Moremi, and Abdoulaye Mariko.
Pirates began the new era under the new coach, Ouaddou, after the exit of Jose Riveiro at the end of the previous campaign.
In the first official match for the Moroccan mentor, he made a surprise decision to leave out a handful of key players in the team, including Mabasa and Makgopa.
The two Bafana Bafana strikers played a major role for Pirates as they finished as runners-up in the league and reached the CAF Champions League semi-final last campaign.
Mabasa scored 15 goals in 48 appearances in all competitions last season, while Makgopa bagged 10 goals in 39 games.
OUADDOU SHEDS LIGHT ON THE SURPRISE DECISION TO LEAVE OUT MABASA AND MAKGOPA FROM THE MATCHDAY SQUAD
Ouaddou revealed that the striking duo played a friendly match in the morning before the team faced Rise and Shine. Boitumelo Radiopane started the match, and Mbuthuma came on as a second-half substitute.
“Makgopa and Mabasa are very important players for me. You have to understand that this season we have a big squad,” Ouaddou said.
“It will be very important to play with freshness because Orlando Pirates will play in many competitions. So we win the matches with the starting 11, but we win competitions as a group.
“So these players you mention played [friendly] in the morning on Saturday, and their contribution will be important.”
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