Ouaddou vows to end Pirates’ Carling Knockout jinx

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is ready to wipe the slate clean as the club prepares to kick off its Carling Knockout Cup campaign against Siwelele FC at Orlando Stadium this Saturday, with kick-off set for 3:00 PM (SA time).

Despite the Buccaneers’ notoriously poor record in this particular tournament—including a shock first-round exit to Magesi FC last season—Ouaddou remains unfazed, choosing instead to focus on the club’s current dominant form.

“What happened before, I was not here; my focus is on the future and trying with the players to do well,” Ouaddou told the media on Thursday.

Having already secured the MTN8 title last month, Pirates enter the Carling Knockout riding an incredible high: seven consecutive wins across all competitions without conceding a single goal. Ouaddou stressed that this consistency must continue against their first-round opponents.

“We take it seriously. We definitely want to go through the next stage. It is a very important competition, so we will try to put the strongest team in this competition,” he affirmed. “We are facing a very strong opponent… they showed it in the following week [after we beat them] that this team will definitely not stay in that position.”

𝐌𝐀𝐓𝐂𝐇_𝐃𝐀𝐘

🏆 #CarlingKnockout
🆚 @Siwelele_FC
🗓 Saturday,4 October 2025
🎟 https://t.co/LL00zpe4O0
🏟 Orlando Stadium
⏰ 15:00
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⚫⚪🔴⭐#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/nbv9UKHcP7

— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) October 3, 2025

Siwelele Vows to Fight against Pirates

Meanwhile, the opposing coach, Lehlohonolo Seema, acknowledged the difficulty of facing the high-flying Sea Robbers immediately after losing to them 0-1 in a recent league fixture.

“For us, we’ve to make sure that we put in the same fight, the same effort that we showed in the last two games that we played,” Seema stated, noting that his team is “improving with every game, especially with the new players that are coming.”

Ouaddou summarised the task ahead, making it clear the club is taking nothing for granted: “For us it is another game, another opportunity for my players to give their best and to try to go through the first stage.”