Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has reflected on his first Soweto Derby experience following a dominant 3-0 victory over rivals Kaizer Chiefs at a sold-out FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
The Buccaneers sealed an emphatic victory over Amakhosi to move back to the top of the Betway Premiership log ahead of Mamelodi Sundowns. Pirates are now three points ahead of Sundowns, although they have played one game more.
In a clinical display of dominance, Pirates rewrote the history books – inflicting their heaviest defeat on Chiefs in a quarter-century. This 3-0 masterclass was more than just a victory; it was a resounding statement. By securing their fifth consecutive league win over their rivals, the Buccaneers etched a new record into the archives, marking their longest-ever winning streak in the Soweto Derby in PSL history.
The clash marked a milestone for Ouaddou, serving as his first taste of the fixture since taking the helm at the start of the season. The former Fulham defender, no stranger to high-intensity rivalries, likened the atmosphere to the fierce London derbies between his former club and Chelsea, as well as the legendary “Derby of the Eternal Enemies” between Olympiacos and Panathinaikos in Athens.
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“I said before that game that the quality of the organisation was impressive,” said Ouaddou after the match.
“I was impressed by the small details. All the stakeholders, the preparations committees, clubs, the boards of the two clubs, I think, fantastically organised this event.”
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“They allowed children, women, men and everybody to come assist in the game and to be safe. The organisation around shows that really the PSL is at a high level. The organisation is like in Europe. I was speaking about the derby that I had a chance to play, like Fulham against Chelsea and Olympiacos against Panathinaikos.
“These people take it seriously, and I see the same here in South Africa, especially the Soweto Derby. It was a fantastic experience for me. We won that first derby, and it’s very important for the boys, and it’s also important for the coach. It’s good for the fans, and it gives players trust and confidence to keep going because we still have 13 games and we have to build on that to be very ambitious this season.”
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