Ouaddou On Six Debuts With Massive Pirates Squad

, ,

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the hunger his players showed was normal with a coaching change as he reflected on the seven debutants in the 2-0 win over Polokwane City. Pirates eased past Rise and Shine in their MTN8 quarter-final at Orlando Stadium, with former Polokwane winger Oswin Appollis running riot on his debut for the Buccaneers. He scored the opener and won the penalty which Patrick Maswanganyi scored, while Sihle Nduli and Sipho Mbule ran the midfield on their respective competitive debuts for the club. Tshepang Moremi, Yanela Mbuthuma and Abdoulaye Mariko also got their first run

Read more

Ouaddou – What I Told Mariko When He First Arrived At Pirates

, ,

Orlando Pirates head coach Abseslam Ouaddou admits Abdoulaye Mariko is an interesting prospect but issued him to learn English in order to quickly integrate into his new surroundings in South Africa. Mariko, 22, made his debut with a second half cameo which got fans off their seats, with anticipation now high what he could may well offer the club in his debut season after being lured from Djoliba. He arrives as the Golden Boot winner and Player of the Season in the Malian Ligue 1, while his namesake Abdoulaye Mariko, was also signed from the same club – but will

Read more

Babina Noko Through To MTN 8 Semis

,

Sekhukhune United came from 2-0 down to defeat TS Galaxy 3-2 in a five-goal MTN 8 quarter-finals thriller at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday evening and also progress to the semi-finals. It was the visitors who drew blood first in the 14th minute from a Mpho Mvelase header. Galaxy had won a set-piece Nhlanhla Magaga stepped up and sent it to Khulumani Ndamane who missed the target but Mvelase was there to bury the rebound. The home side could have levelled in the 30th minute through new signing Bradley Grobler but his header was an easy save for the

Read more

Mohafe Sends Playful Jab At Appollis

, ,

Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe has sent a playful at Oswin Appollis after he scored a superb goal against his former side. Appollis picked up the Man of the Match award after being involved in both goals in his side’s 2-0 win over Rise & Shine in the MTN8 quarter-final. Mohafe says Appollis learnt the exact move at Polokwane but understands why he made the move to the Buccaneers. “He scored against us. To me, it’s the move we taught him at Polokwane City and he did it perfectly against us,” Mohafe stated on SuperSport tv. “It doesn’t sit well

Read more

Ouaddou On Appollis’ MOTM Display

, ,

New Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has reacted to Oswin Appollis’ Man of the Match display against his former side in the MTN8 quarter-final. Appollis, 23, netted the opener and was brought down in the box before Patrick Maswanganyi slotted home the second. Despite going off with cramps in the second half, Appollis was named Man of the Match on his Buccaneers debut, with his coach praising him after full-time. “I’m happy for him, we know Appollis for a long time. When he is surrounded with good players we can even see the best of him,” he told SuperSport tv.

Read more

New-Look Pirates Coast Past Polokwane In Season Opener

, ,

Orlando Pirates eased past Polokwane City with a 2-0 win to open the 2025/26 season in the MTN8 at Orlando Stadium on Saturday afternoon. It was a bold starting XI put out by new head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou with Bandile Shandu starting at right-back, Boitumelo Radiopane up top and three new signings in midfield with Sihle Nduli, Sipho Mbule and Oswin Appollis as a right-inverted midfielder. And it paid dividends with a dominant first half in which the Bafana Bafana international opened the scoring against his former club, from which he secured a sensational off-season transfer from which caught everyone

Read more

Pirates & Polokwane City Starting XIs Announced 

, ,

Orlando Pirates and Polokwane City have announced their starting line-ups for this afternoon’s first MTN8 quarter-final clash at Orlando Stadium.  Pirates’ MTN8 title defence starts with a clash against Polokwane City, who will be participating in this competition for the second successive season since gaining promotion.  Abdeslam Ouaddou, who is the new Pirates head coach, starts his journey after Jose Riveiro’s exit from the club, ending his three-year tenure.  City aim to progress to the next round of the MTN8 for the first time after they were eliminated at the very same stage by Mamelodi Sundowns last season. But they

Read more

Official: Pirates Confirm Shirt Numbers & New Signing

, , ,

Orlando Pirates have announced the shirt numbers of their new signings and also finally confirmed the signing of Abdoulaye Mariko. The Buccaneers kick off their MTN8 campaign against Polokwane City on Saturday, with several new players expected to start. The match will also be the first official game under new head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, who will be keen to get off with a winning start. Ahead of the game, Pirates confirmed the arrival of Mariko from Djoliba FC, as previously reported by iDiski Times. “The 21-year-old midfielder was recently signed from Malian club Djoliba FC,” the club stated. “The Malian

Read more

‘Pirates Can Win MTN8 Again’

, ,

Former Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates midfielder Ernest Mtawali believes Pirates can win the MTN8 for a fourth time in a row because they still have the hunger. The Buccaneers made history last season winning the opening tournament of the season for a third successive campaign and start the defence of the title against Polokwane City in Orlando on Saturday. Mtawali spoke to iDiski Times senior writer Matshelane Mamabolo in edition 215 of the newspaper, addressing the psychological effects of winning the cup for a campaign. “I wouldn’t be surprised if they go all the way again,” Mtawali told IDiski

Read more