Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has praised his team for sustaining a closely fought title race with Mamelodi Sundowns, saying their battle has brought renewed excitement to South African football.
Pirates strengthened their position with a victory over Stellenbosch FC, moving to 62 points with three matches still to play. The result saw them surpass their previous best tally of 61 points in a Premier Soccer League campaign.
Despite the milestone, Pirates remain second in the standings, trailing Sundowns by two points. Although they hold a superior goal difference, their title ambitions depend on winning their remaining fixtures and hoping Sundowns drop points in their final matches, beginning with a clash against Kaizer Chiefs.
Ouaddou said the competitiveness between the two sides has been vital in maintaining interest in the league, drawing comparisons with the English top flight.
“In every league, in every country, if you can look at the Premier League in England, Manchester City and Arsenal are fighting, I think it’s the same fight that we are seeing in South Africa,” Ouaddou told the media.
He added that such competition benefits supporters, keeping the outcome uncertain deep into the season.
“It creates a lot of interest for South African fans, it’s not funny when you see a team in 10 games before the end of the season, you see the team is winning the league.
“So, for you as a fan, if you know at the beginning of this season who is going to be champion, you lose interest.
“So, this season, we try to bring more competitiveness. I think the boys really did well. Let’s see what the result will be at the end of this season. But the most important thing is to give this competitiveness to the PSL until the end.”
The coach emphasised that, regardless of the current standings, his players remain determined to push until the final whistle of the campaign.
“And I think it was really a good test today for us because you don’t know what will happen in the next few matches against the rival. So, for us, the dream is still here,” he continued.
“The players are going to fight, and it’s possible, like I said at the beginning of the season, it’s possible to fight until the last game, and maybe people will know the champions on the last day.”
With only three matches left, the title race remains finely balanced. Pirates must maintain a perfect run while relying on a slip from Sundowns if they are to secure the championship.
Regardless of the outcome, Ouaddou believes his side has already contributed to a more competitive and engaging league season, one that could go down to the final day before a champion is crowned.
