Marumo Gallants coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has issued a bold challenge to Orlando Pirates after the two sides were drawn together in the Nedbank Cup semifinals.
The stakes are high, and Ouaddou is hungry to stop the Soweto giants from completing their three-peat bid. Gallants secured their spot in the semifinals after a nerve-wracking 4-1 penalty shootout win over second-tier Durban City FC on Sunday.
The match had ended goalless after 120 minutes at Chatsworth Stadium, leaving the outcome to be decided from the spot. With the win, Gallants joined Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, and the winners of the delayed Mamelodi Sundowns vs Sekhukhune United fixture in the final four.
Pirates supporters acting like Marumo Gallants didn’t touch them up just last week
😂😂😂😂😂😂
— Sandile Dhlomo (@DhlomoV) March 9, 2025
Pirates are aiming for a third consecutive Nedbank Cup title after dominating the competition in the past two years. But Ouaddou, who guided AS Vita to the CAF Champions League semi-finals, is determined to derail the Buccaneers’ ambitions.
The Moroccan coach made it clear that he’s ready to bring a fight to the Sea Robbers.
“I’d like to stop them from winning three in a row,” Ouaddou said with a smile, adding, “But this is football.
“I can promise you we will prepare well and put on a good show for the fans. We’ll try to go and win because when you reach the semifinals, the goal is to get to the final. We will give them a hard time, I promise you that.”
The match, however, won’t be on Gallants’ preferred turf. Ouaddou expressed his disappointment that they would have to face Pirates at Orlando Stadium instead of hosting them in Bloemfontein. The Gallants coach admitted that while the draw wasn’t the problem, his players were hoping to play at home, which led to their frustration.
Marumo Gallants will have to pay for their sins. That 2-0 loss against them almost kicked us @orlandopirates out the league title. Whoever we get in the #NedbankFinal , we will die on the field to retain what’s ours. #UpTheBucs pic.twitter.com/l12C5ucX4O
— mzwandile mbeje (@mzwaimbeje) March 9, 2025
“My players were disappointed, not about the draw, not because we were drawn against Pirates, but because they wanted to play at home. That’s why they were disappointed,” Ouaddou explained.
“But there are no easy games. We will play away from home and we will try to surprise again, like we did when we beat them 2-0 in the league last week.”
That fixture will be placed on the backburner for the Bloemfintein-based outfit with their immediate worries placed on surviving relegation. Gallants are in 14th place on the Betway Premiership standings, just two points above 15th positioned Magesi FC, having played a game.
Abdeslam has not been in the country for more than a month, having replaced Dan Dance Malesela as the club’s head coach, with the club hoping to ensure another season in the top flight.
The 46-year-old mentor has taken charge of three games, winning two and losing the other to Stellenbosch in the league.
