“We cannot throw away what they did from the start of the season,” commented Ouaddou.
Orlando Pirates coachAbdelsalam Ouaddou is adamant that his side will fight until the end for the title race despite dropping points this past weekend.
The Buccaneers missed out on the chance to move top of the log when they were held to a 2-2 draw by Richards Bay in a Betway Premiership match played at the Richards Bay Stadium on Friday.
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Pirates had to twice come back from behind in order to salvage a point against the Natal Rich Boyz side that was eager to take all the spoils on offer.
The result left the Buccaneers one point behind log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns, who have collected 56 points from 23 matches, while Pirates have managed to collect 55 points from 24 matches.
Nothing is impossible
Despite the setback against Bay, Ouaddou insists that Pirates will give Sundowns a good run for their money.
“We didn’t get the three points; things will become difficult for the rest of the league. But nothing is impossible when I’m telling you that it will be difficult, it means we still have a small chance to dream.”
With Sundowns not playing in the league again this week because of the CAF Champions League, Pirates will get another chance to claim the top spot when they host AmaZulu at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday.
Ouaddou is aware that it will not be easy to beat the Usuthu side that is fighting with the likes of Kaizer Chiefs, Sekhukhune United, Durban City and Polokwane City for the third position in the Betway Premiership. The spot guarantees a team qualification for the CAF Confederation Cup.
The Moroccan, however, insists that giving up on winning the league title is not an option for Pirates.
“When you have many games in a short period, you cannot give up. We are going to give some rest to our boys because we played two games in a short space of time. After that, we will come back and fight.
“We have an important game soon. It’s not easy to challenge, but I think that the boys have done a fantastic job since the beginning of the season. We cannot throw away what they did from the start of the season,” commented Ouaddou.
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Ouaddou has admitted that dropping points in crucial matches has made it difficult for Pirates to catch up with leaders Sundowns.
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