Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says he will ring in major changes against La Cure Waves SC as he seeks alternatives to break the stubborn Mauritians in Saturday’s CAF Champions League first preliminary round, second leg at Orlando Amstel Arena.
The Soweto giants were frustrated to a 0-0 draw in the first leg away in Mauritius last weekend. It was a result which invited stern scrutiny on the Buccaneers’ continental credentials.
They were held by a team making their debut appearance in the Champions League and had last played competitive football in early May. Also making Pirates’ struggles in the Indian Ocean island glaring was that they were up against a team which only began playing top-flight league football in their home country two years ago.
The drab outing in Mauritius might have brought back grim memories about how Pirates were knocked out of the Champions League at the second preliminary round last season. They were eliminated by Congolese side FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo.
OUADDOU’S UNFAMILIAR LINE-UP AWAY AT LA CURE WAVES
The Moroccan coach opted to hand some fringe players a run in Mauritius last weekend. Centre-back Christian Derbyshire made his professional debut as he started to partner Lebone Seema at the heart of defence. Sbangani Zulu started at right-back while Simphiwe Selepe and Cemran Dansin were also in the line-up. Winger Daniel Msendami also started, but a few days later he was loaned out to Marumo Gallants.
ABDESLAM OUADDOU STATES INTENTION FOR AN OVERHAUL
While La Cure Waves are fancying to cause an upset, Ouaddou will be out to avoid another early exit in the Champions League. Addressing the media at Orlando Amstel Arena on Friday, the Pirates coach lauded the players he gave chances last weekend but said a new team should be expected.
“The first game was important for me to give opportunities to some players, as you know it’s important to manage the players, to keep everybody involved in that project. So I felt that it was the right moment for me to give some chances to some players,” Ouaddou told journalists.
“Last week I can say some of the young players gave me a very good satisfaction. It means that when I need them, I will be able to give them chances again because they were really good.
“But tomorrow [Saturday] will be another game, definitely, because we have to qualify. It will be another team, another profile of players. We will definitely show an attacking profile of players.”
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