Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has given his verdict on the return of Boitumelo Radiopane to the matchday squad after an injury setback.
Radiopane made the long-awaited return to competitive action during Pirates’ 3-0 drubbing of AmaZulu FC in the Betway Premiership at Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday afternoon.
The forward came on as a second-half substitute to replace Yanela Mbuthuma, who has been the preferred choice to lead the striking department in the last few months at Pirates.
In an impressive performance against AmaZulu, Pirates collected maximum points with goals from Mbuthuma, Oswin Appollis, and Relebohile Mofokeng. The three points moved the Soweto giants to the summit of the league table, reaching 58 points in 25 games.
Pirates leapfrogged Mamelodi Sundowns to take the top spot with the title race heading for a dramatic finish. The Brazilians dropped to second with 56 points, though they hold two games in hand, having played only 23 matches due to their CAF Champions League commitments.
With Pirates aiming to win all their remaining five league matches, they have been boosted by the return of Radiopane, who could play a pivotal role in front of goal.
The Pirates youth academy graduate has found it difficult to cement a place in the starting XI this season, hampered by a combination of recurring injuries and inconsistent form. Radiopane has been limited to just five appearances across all competitions, contributing a single assist. In his absence, Evidence Makgopa and Yanela Mbuthuma have shouldered the attacking burden, netting five league goals apiece.
WHAT OUADDOU SAID ABOUT THE RETURN OF RADIOPANE
Speaking after their victory against AmaZulu, Ouaddou opened up on Radiopane returning to full fitness, revealing that the striker has been working hard to be part of the team. The Moroccan coach further disclosed that it was a tactical choice to leave Makgopa out of the matchday squad and give Radiopane a chance.
“I think it’s a choice from the technical staff [to leave out Makgopa]. Radiopane has been working for a long time to come back. If you remember, just before going to the [2025 AFCON in December] break, he played against the All Stars team, and he scored,” Ouaddou said.
“He did a good performance, he’s giving his best in training, we thought that it was a good moment to give him some playing time, and we managed the group like that. In terms of game-time, it’s important for our strikers to be competitive.
“We thought that the fact that Evidence needed maybe 90 minutes, we brought in Radiopane to give him the confidence of being with the team, it’s been a long time. It means a lot for him to know that the technical team is looking at him.
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