Abdeslam Ouaddou unfazed by well-rested Mamelodi Sundowns | OneFootball

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Ouaddou confident ahead of showdown against well-rested Sundowns

Photo: Veli Nhlapo

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says the Bucanners won’t change their approach to the second leg of their MTN8 semi-final clash against Mamelodi Sundowns, who rested their key players in their midweek outing.

Miguel Cardoso fielded a heavily rotated starting XI in the Betway Premiership encounter against Magesi FC on Wednesday, with Teboho Mokoena, Keanu Cupido, Marcelo Allende, Tashreeq Matthews, and Aubrey Modiba all dropped to the bench.

Meanwhile, Arthur Sales, Iqraam Rayners, Zuko Mdunyelwa and Grant Kekana didn’t make the matchday squad as out-of-favour Thapelo Maseko, Lebo Mothiba, Thapelo Morena, Gomolemo Kekana and newly signed Fawaaz Basadien were called upon.

However, the Bucs mentor is unfazed by the well-rested Masandawana team, emphasizing that knockout games heavily rely on the mentality of the players on the day rather than the physical condition.

“I think cup games have nothing to do with rest, for me it’s in the head, it’s about the mentality. Do you want to go through? Do you want to go to the final? Are you fancying to keep the title? Are you going to play as a unit?,” explained Ouaddou.

“Sometimes in cup games you need to go and find the resources especially when you play extra time. We don’t think about tiredness, it’s about how your team behaves, how starving you are, how hungry you are on the pitch.

“Do you want the cup more than the opponent or not? So, it’s something that I cannot explain but sometimes [in] the cup games [the motivation] comes from the heart, it comes from deep.

The two teams played to a one-all draw in the first meeting staged in front of a packed Orlando Stadium last Saturday. Now, the crucial second leg of the blockbuster clash is penciled in for Saturday at a sold-out Lucas Moripe Stadium.