Abdeslam Ouaddou reflects on 'tough' week after Nedbank Cup elimination | OneFootball

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Ouaddou speaks on challenging week

Photo: Nokwanda Zondi/ BackPagePix

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has reflected on the tough week the Buccaneers endured following their Nedbank Cup exit to Casric Stars on Saturday.

The Motsepe Foundation Championship outfit edged the Soweto giants 5-4 on penalties to book a spot in the quarter-finals after the two teams were deadlocked for 120 minutes.

Prior to the cup fixture, Pirates had lost to Mamelodi Sundowns in a top-of-the-table Betway Premiership clash on Wednesday, which saw their lead at the summit reduced to three points.

Ouaddou, however, insists not all is lost in the heated title race, and believes the defeat to Casric Stars will serve as a wake up call to his charges.

“You know when you are playing for the title and of course, we lost in the previous game, it's very important mentally to wash the brain and to give the confidence, the trust to the players - it's what we did after Sundowns. And there is this game as well that maybe will shock a little bit the players,” said the Bucs mentor.

"But what I will tell them is that we still have 13 finals coming, nothing is lost about the title race and we are going to find some resources like that, it's very important. I don't hide it from you that it's a tough week after losing two games.

"I think it's the second time that it happened to us if I count the first part of the season. So, we have to find resources like we did at the beginning of the season when we bounced back and we won 11 games in a row. It's what we have to do now.