The head coach of Lesotho side Lioli FC, Bongani Maseko, has set the record straight following reports that he labelled their recent CAF Champions League opponents, Orlando Pirates, as “overrated.”
Before the second leg of the Champions League first preliminary round tie against Pirates on Saturday, comments made by the Lioli coach during the pre-match media session surfaced, leading to claims that he had called the Soweto giants “overrated.”
This alleged statement did not sit well with the Buccaneers’ coach, Abdeslam Ouaddou. Speaking to reporters at Orlando Stadium on Friday, the Moroccan tactician expressed his fury and challenged his squad to respond on the pitch.
In a fierce response to the perceived insult, Pirates not only hammered Maseko’s side 4-0 [securing a 7-0 aggregate victory], but Ouaddou was visibly animated, celebrating each goal scored by purposefully making his way toward Maseko’s dugout in a clear gesture of defiance.
However, Maseko has since moved to set the record straight, rebutting the claim that he called PSL giants, Pirates, overrated.
While clarifying his position on the Soweto giants’ quality and dominance, he appeared to send a strong message back to Ouaddou by stating his intent to return in the future with a “much better team” than the Lesotho champions.
LIOLI COACH EXPLAINS WHAT HE ACTUALLY SAID ABOUT PIRATES
“I don’t know because the last time I checked, all my interviews, even that one [before the second leg], I said Pirates were not good enough. I did not say they were overrated. There is a difference,” said Maseko.”And I keep on saying, even before the game, I said Pirates have a good coach and they have good players. Even now, I’m still saying that; it is a fact.”
Reflecting on Ouaddou’s sideline antics, Maseko added: “So I don’t know why he did that [celebrate towards the dugout], but I’m a young coach and I wanted to say this, ‘I will come back, we’ll meet with a better team one day’.
“I have that confidence that one day something will happen and we will meet [Pirates in future] with the better team, and then we see that…but I don’t want to create that dialogue, but I still maintain he [Ouaddou] is a good coach, he has good players and a good team, hence the scoreline.
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