VIDEO | Ouaddou’s rotation strategy pays off as Bucs go level with Sundowns

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou feels their depth is beginning to show after his side beat Chippa United 2-0 in a Betway Premiership match to go level on 25 points with Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the table with a game in hand.

Goals in the second half from substitute Evidence Makgopa and Oswin Appollis secured a victory at Orlando Stadium.

Ouaddou continued to rotate his players to keep everyone fresh and feels this has been working well for them, as everyone is motivated.

“It is a philosophy of how we have decided this season to work, and it’s working well for now. I hope we will continue. When you are playing every three days, it’s very important to involve everybody in your team because you keep the motivation of everybody,” Ouaddou told the media after the match.

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou feels their depth is beginning to show after his side beat Chippa United 2-0 in a Betway Premiership match to go level on 25 points with Mamelodi Sundowns at the top of the table with a game in hand.

“If you only play 11 players or 15, I think you will have a very big risk in the season of having the rest of the team demotivated. You can’t win the league or competition with 15 players, but you win as a group.”

The win over Chippa also saw the return to the match-day squad of defender Olisa Ndah and midfielder Makhehleni Makhaula, who missed the start of the season with long-term injuries.

When you are playing every three days, it’s very important to involve everybody in your team because you keep the motivation of everybody.

—  Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou

Makhaula replaced Thalente Mbatha in the second half, while Ndah was unused, and Ouaddou said they will only get better with experienced players returning.

“When you have all these big names coming back to increase depth in the team, it makes it difficult for me to make choices. But I prefer it that way rather than not having enough players to choose from,” he said.

“It’s important to have Ndah and Makhaula back, and I want to thank the medical department. When somebody is injured for a long time, you must work with them physically and mentally, and the medical team did a fantastic job for us to be able to use him [Makhaula] in the match.

“Every morning when he comes to the changing room, he squeezes my hand hard when he greets me and says, ‘Coach, I am here and ready’. I am happy for him to be back on the pitch, and you can feel the love he got from the fans when he went on.

“Ndah is also coming back after a long injury, and I am happy for them.”

Sowetan