Orlando Pirates Coach Abdeslam Wadee Accepts Pressure Ahead of Soweto Derby

Orlando Pirates coach Abdelslam Waddu explained why Sipho Shine is a key figure in the Buccaneers' impressive form, emphasizing his role as a leader at the core of the team.

These comments came after the Pirates defeated Namibia champions African Stars in the first match of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League, which took place at the National Stadium in Gaborone, Botswana. Tshepanga Moremi's goal in the second half gave the 'Soweto giants' a slight advantage heading into the return match on Friday in Johannesburg, where the team will aim to secure its place in the group stage.

This victory also continued the strong run of Pirates across all tournaments. This season, the team has lost only once in 15 matches, winning 12 and drawing twice, while keeping a clean sheet in 11 games.

Shine has made a significant contribution to this defensive statistic, but Waddu believes the goalkeeper's contribution goes beyond simply stopping shots. The Pirates coach explained that his tactical approach depends on having influential leaders throughout the entire team, with the goalkeeper playing a crucial role in organizing the defense and setting standards.

During the post-match press conference, Waddu stated: 'You see, in my playing model, in how I train, I have always placed great importance on the whole team, of course, the players. But you always need a foundation, and the foundation is the goalkeeper, a pair of central defenders, the midfield six, the ten, and the nine. And I need to have a leader in every line. It is important to have a well-tuned mechanism. You need strategic leaders in every line.'

Shine's statistics over the last two seasons confirm his importance to the Pirates. In the 2024/25 CAF Champions League campaign, the 'Bafana Bafana' goalkeeper played 14 matches and recorded nine clean sheets, becoming the tournament's top goalkeeper in this category during Pirates' run under former coach Jose Ribeiro.

He further showed 21 clean sheets in 30 Betway Premier League matches in the 2025/26 season, starting in every league game while Pirates completed their 14-year wait for a league title. Thus, the current Goalkeeper of the Year has established himself not just as the last line of defense, but as a source of stability and leadership in Pirates' fight on multiple fronts.

As African Stars arrive in Johannesburg for the second match on Friday, Shine's influence may once again prove decisive as Pirates strive to maintain their advantage and complete the task at home.

Orlando Pirates coach Abdelslam Waddu warned his players against becoming complacent despite the team securing a valuable 1-0 away victory against African Stars during the first round of the second preliminary round of the CAF Champions League on Saturday.

The decisive goal was scored by Tshepang Moremi in the 75th minute, giving the 'Buccaneers' an advantage heading into the return match, which will take place next Friday at the Orlando Stadium Amstel Arena.

Nevertheless, Waddu insists that Pirates have only completed half the journey toward their goal of reaching the group stage and cannot afford to underestimate their South African opponents.

He stated: 'I think we successfully completed the first half of the two games, and we still have the second half in South Africa.' The Pirates coach also emphasized that this result does not guarantee his team's progression to the next stage.

Waddu added: 'I cannot say that we have one foot in the group stage; we still have an important second half there, and we will have to prepare for it to qualify for the group stage. This is an important goal for the club, the technical team, and the players, so we will rest and prepare well to start this game with a win.'

The Pirates team traveled to the first match determined to avoid repeating last season's disappointment when they were eliminated from the tournament at the same stage.

Waddu made three changes to the squad that defeated TS Galaxy mid-week, including the inclusion of midfielder Talente Mbata. Oswin Apollos, who is dealing with an injury, was placed on the bench.

The match remained tense until Moremi's late intervention, which allowed Pirates to achieve the necessary breakthrough. Although his goal may prove decisive, the 'Buccaneers' will still need to approach the return match cautiously, as African Stars have a chance to equalize.

Pirates will now focus on the match next Friday at the Orlando Stadium Amstel Arena, where they aim to fulfill their objective before their fans. For Waddu, the message is clear: the away victory is an important first step, but qualification must be earned over the full 180 minutes.