Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is basking in his tactical touch that fuelled the Buccaneers to turn his bench into game-changers against Golden Arrows.
The Soweto giants stopped in-form Abafana Bes’thende, winning 3-1 in a Betway Premiership match at King Zwelithini Stadium on Wednesday. It was a crucial victory for Ouaddou and his men as they leapfrogged Kaizer Chiefs on the PSL table to settle in position two.
They have three points fewer than leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, with two games in hand, giving the Buccaneers a real chance to go on top of the table in the next few weeks.
Arrows threatened to spoil Pirates’ evening when Thokozani Khumalo equalised after his teammate Ayanda Jiyane’s own goal had handed the visitors the lead. A second-half charge saw the Soweto giants humbling their hosts. Ouaddou’s substitutes took on the responsibility to help their side pick maximum points on the road.
Patrick Maswanganyi came on for Sipho Mbule, and nine minutes after being introduced, he set up fellow substitute Yanela Mbuthuma to reclaim the lead for Pirates. Another substitute, Relebohile Mofokeng, provided an assist for Mbuthuma to seal his brace towards the end to settle the contest.
WERE OUADDOU’S SUBSTITUTION DECISIONS AN ACT OF TACTICAL GENIUS?
“It’s the team spirit we want at Orlando Pirates. Everybody is important. I always say there’s no substitute, there are only players and impact players and we continue like that,” Ouaddu said on SuperSport TV.
“We hope to keep this dynamic and team spirit until the end of the season. I can tell you that if we keep this team spirit, if we keep this end to go forward to score goals and to be strong to keep the self-development, I think we can have some good ambitions.”
Eight days earlier, Pirates’ bench had an influence after Evidence Makgopa was introduced to grab the winner in the 2-1 victory over Magesi FC. The result saw The Ghost storm into the Carling Knockout semi-finals.
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