Orlando Pirates Secure Clean Sheet Against Las Palmas
Orlando Pirates have been searching for a clean sheet all tour. In Spain, against Las Palmas, they finally found it – and with it, a performance that looked a lot like Abdeslam Ouaddou’s vision brought to life.
A 1-0 win in pre-season will never define a campaign, but this one mattered. Not for the margin. For the manner.
Defence first, at last
Pirates have been leaking goals since they landed in Europe. The coach knew it, the players knew it, and the opposition could sense it. Against Las Palmas, that softness disappeared.
For ninety minutes, the South African side stayed switched on. Lines were compact, distances tight, challenges timed with a conviction that has been missing in earlier fixtures. The Buccaneers didn’t just defend deeper; they defended smarter.
Ouaddou, who has been pushing his squad physically and tactically throughout the camp, made no secret of the priority.
“The players have been over 60 minutes, we pushed them for 90 minutes and I’m very happy about the performance,” he said, underlining the shift in intensity. The target was clear: create chances, but above all, stop conceding. “The objective today was, of course, to create chances, and not to concede a goal, because we’ve been conceding goals since the beginning.”
This time, the back line held. No late lapse. No soft equaliser. Just the kind of disciplined, collective effort a coach can build a season on.
A tour turning upward
This was Pirates’ fourth game of their Spanish tour. The record – two wins, one draw, one defeat – tells only part of the story. The curve is what matters: performances have climbed, cohesion has sharpened, and the group looks more attuned to the demands of the technical team with each outing.
The sense of progress is sharpened by the sting of what came before. Ouaddou is still carrying the frustration of the 3-3 draw against Al Ittihad, a match he believes should have ended differently.
“So yesterday, again, yesterday, I think I was very happy about the performance against Al Ittihad,” he reflected. “Indeed, it was a 3-3 because we have scored one goal that the referee refused. It was not a handball, it was a chest from Tito.”
That disallowed goal lingers, not as an excuse but as a reminder. Pirates feel they’ve been playing better than the raw numbers show. The coach has turned that grievance inward, using it to challenge his squad.
“And what I said to the boys, we need to find back our strength because it’s what makes the strength of Orlando Pirates,” he added.
Against Las Palmas, you could see that message taking root.
Radiopane steps up, the kids answer
If the clean sheet was one pillar of the night, the other was the youth. Pirates finished the game not only with a win, but with a statement from their next generation.
The decisive moment came late, off the bench. Boitumelo Radiopane, introduced as a substitute, seized his chance and delivered the winner with the kind of clinical edge that changes games and accelerates careers. One chance, one goal. That was enough.
Around him, a young supporting cast held their nerve against seasoned European professionals, sticking to complex tactical instructions and matching the physical tempo.
“This team is the most youngest team that I could have put during this camp,” Ouaddou said, almost with a hint of pride. “And they really responded very well in terms of aggressiveness, in terms of organisation, tactically. Tactically, they were very clever.”
He did not stop there.
“So I think Orlando Pirates have a bright future with these young players.”
Pre-season is often where coaches talk about pathways and potential. Here, the evidence was on the pitch: a youthful side, drilled, aggressive, organised, and decisive in the key moment.
One more test, a hint of revenge
The tour is not over. One game remains in Spain, and it will not be a gentle farewell. Pirates face Neom next, and inside the camp, the fixture carries an edge.
“We still have one game, a tough one again. The next game against Neom will be a revenge for us,” Ouaddou said, making the emotional stakes clear. “And I will be happy if we can finish this camp with a victory.”
The workload has been heavy. Training has been intense, the matches competitive, all with an eye on the unforgiving rhythm of the Betway Premiership. The players look tired, but they also look tuned in. There is, as the coach hinted, a sense of unfinished business.
A clean sheet against Las Palmas. A late winner from Radiopane. Youngsters embracing responsibility. A team rediscovering its defensive edge and its identity.
One more game in Spain. One more chance to turn a promising pre-season into a powerful launchpad.
