Pirates coach Ouaddou praises Appollis after MTN8 quarterfinal win

New Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou shared his thoughts on Oswin Appollis’ Man of the Match performance against his former club, Polokwane City FC, in the MTN8 quarterfinal.

Appollis, 23, opened the scoring and earned a penalty that Patrick Maswanganyi converted for the second goal in what was the first game of the 2025/26 PSL season at Orlando Stadium in Soweto on Saturday afternoon.

Despite leaving the game with cramps in the second half, Appollis was named Man of the Match in his Buccaneers debut.

“I’m happy for him; we’ve known Appollis for a long time,” Ouaddou told SuperSport TV. “When he’s surrounded by good players, we can see the best of him. But it’s not just him; I want to congratulate all my boys. He got Man of the Match because of the collective effort.”

Ouaddou emphasised the significance of the win, but also looked ahead. “I think it’s a big victory for us, but it’s not finished. We have to go through [the semifinal]. The target is to win the MTN8 cup.”

He also confirmed the club’s ambition for a fourth successive MTN8 trophy. “Orlando Pirates has been winning every MTN8 cup for three years now,” he added. “Definitely, we have to win it. It won’t be easy, but we will give our best.”