Orlando Pirates coach Abdelsam Ouaddou says his team successfully achieved their mission in Durban — reaching the Carling Knockout Cup final and collecting three league points against Golden Arrows earlier in the week.
Pirates booked their place in the final after edging Richards Bay 1-0 at a packed Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday night.
Tshepang Moremi was the hero once again, drilling home just before halftime after receiving a well-weighted pass from Oswin Appollis and firing across goal.
This will be Pirates’ first appearance in the final of this competition in seven years. They will face the winner between Golden Arrows and Marumo Gallants in the final scheduled for 6 December. Arrows and Gallants meet at King Zwelithini Stadium on Sunday, with the PSL yet to confirm the final venue.
“I said at the press conference that it would be a tough game,” said Ouaddou.
“Cup games are always difficult — they’re decided by small details. That’s exactly what we focused on, especially after playing just three days earlier against Golden Arrows.
“We played against a compact, aggressive team that didn’t give us much space. We had to be patient to find gaps behind their back four in order to score. I think my players were brave and showed great resilience. I have to congratulate them.
“The mission coming to Durban was to collect three points against Arrows and reach the final of the Carling Cup — both objectives we achieved,” he continued.
“Yeah, it’s a good day for us, a good week for us. Let’s keep going, keep working hard, and keep doing things this way.
“I really appreciate the team spirit, the organisation, and the tactical discipline of my players. If we continue like this, we can expect great things in the future.”
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