Abdeslam Ouaddou blasts Pirates' 'circus' in Magesi win | OneFootball

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Ouaddou unimpressed with Bucs showing in latter stages

Photo: Daniel Hlongwane/ Gallo Images

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou expressed dissatisfaction with his team's showboating in the latter stages of their Carling Knockout Cup quarterfinal win over Magesi FC on Tuesday.

The Soweto giants edged the reigning champions 2-1 in Orlando, thanks to goals from Tshepang Moremi and Evidence Makgopa, while Lehlogonolo Mokone got on the scoresheet deep in stoppage time for the visitors.

Ouaddou was pleased with the amount of goalscoring opportunities Pirates created and how his charges executed the game plan against a stubborn Magesi side.

“I think we started the game exactly like we have planned, with high intensity. We wanted to put pressure on the opponent and to try to score early. I think the boys did a fantastic game in terms of football, in terms of what we wanted to execute today [Tuesday],” said the Bucs mentor.

"We managed to have a lot of chances, I think we could have been leading by five goals at half time. So, it's a positive point and I would like to congratulate my boys for that. It was important to take this victory and go through to the next stage - and it's something we have done.

While he is content with the display in the final third, the former Morocco international slammed his players for showboating in the last quarter of an hour of the match, which led to the Buccaneers conceding due to complacency.

“My big disappointment is the last 15 minutes and it's the first time I will address that. If we want to be more ambitious, if we want to go forward - we have to stop this nonsense of playing sterile possession and to enjoy playing small passes,” added a visibly frustrated Ouaddou.

"I think if we want to do that, we have to go to the circus. I'm not here to go to the circus or play circus [football]. I'm here to improve my players to go forward and we have to stop this nonsense because at the end we conceded a goal and the target was to not concede, to keep a clean sheet and to score more goals. So, I think we have to improve on that if we want to be more ambitious.