Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou likened the Soweto Derby to a UEFA Champions League match after masterminding a victory over Kaizer Chiefs on Saturday.
Goals from Evidence Makgopa, Oswin Appollis, and Tshepang Moremi secured the dominant 3-0 win for the Buccaneers in the high-stakes Betway Premiership clash at the FNB Stadium.
Ouaddou, who became the first Pirates coach to win his Soweto Derby debut match since Brazil’s Julio Leal in 2011, described the occasion as “spicy” and elevated it to Champions League level due to the intensity, atmosphere, and significance for the two biggest clubs in Africa.
When asked about the difference between winning such a rivalry as a player versus as a coach—echoing former Pirates striker Benni McCarthy’s view that coaching triumphs feel better than even a Champions League win as a player—Ouaddou emp
“I think this is a very interesting question to play the derby as a player, or as a coach, for me it’s the same taste because of the rivalry, the taste is the same, it’s spicy,” Ouaddou told Goal Mzansi.
“The difference, is as a player, you are focused on your own performances because you want to look good, to play good for the fans and to make a good perfomance, but as a coach you’re not looking at yourself, more 20, 35 players like we have.
“I’m a coach, for me it doesn’t make such a difference, it’s an important game for the fans, it’s two big clubs, Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs, among the biggest clubs in Africa, so today you can say it wasn’t only a Soweto Derby, it was like a Champions League game today.”
Pirates will aim to maintain their Betway Premiership title chase when they face Polokwane City at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday.
