Ouaddou slams Lupopo’s antics after Orlando Pirates’ Champions League exit

Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou condemned the unsporting antics of St Eloi Lupopo after their heated CAF Champions League clash, insisting his players will never be taught to behave that way.

Pirates won the second leg 3–0 at Orlando Stadium to level the tie 3–3 on aggregate but heartbreakingly bowed out of the competition on penalties. Despite the result, the match was overshadowed by Lupopo’s constant time-wasting, simulation, and deliberate disruption that turned the contest into a spectacle of frustration rather than football.

From the very first whistle, the visitors’ players repeatedly went to ground, drawing boos from the home supporters and breaking the rhythm every time Pirates tried to build momentum. 

The tension reached boiling point after Masindi Nemtajela put the Buccaneers ahead, sparking a dramatic sequence that encapsulated the chaos of the night. Lupopo right back Dieumerci Amale wrestled the ball from Nemtajela and appeared to headbutt him in the process. 

In retaliation, Tshepang Moremi pushed Amale in the chest — prompting the defender to theatrically collapse, clutching his face in an apparent attempt to get the Pirates winger sent off.

The ploy worked. Niger referee Mohamed Ali Moussa issued a straight red card to Moremi while inexplicably sending off the wrong Lupopo player — midfielder Chris Maniana — instead of Amale, who had initiated the altercation.

“I am not buying this behaviour. It is important to show a good example,” Ouaddou said, after the match.

“Football is a bridge between countries and we have a duty as players and coaches to show an example to all the young children dreaming of becoming professional footballers. I will never teach my players such bad behaviour.”

The Moroccan-born coach did, however, admit that his side’s inexperience contributed to their loss of composure in critical moments, urging his young team to remain calm in future high-pressure encounters.

“We are still a young team and in some situations we have to keep a cool head, be calm and only focus on our target,” he said.

“You don’t have to fall into the trap of the opponent. It shows we still have a lot of work to do in terms of experience.”

Ouaddou also hinted at frustrations from the first leg in Lubumbashi, where Pirates reportedly endured hostile treatment, though he was careful not to use it as an excuse.

“The answer should be on the pitch — with football, beating your opponents by scoring goals and with a game plan, not with cheating,” he added. 

“I never wanted to tell you how our treatment was there because you will say the coach is making excuses. But this was not the behaviour or the hospitality we expected.”

Despite their elimination, Ouaddou’s message was clear — while results matter, integrity, discipline, and fair play remain the foundation of what he’s building at Orlando Pirates.

An immediate response on the pitch will be expected this week from Ouaddou's side this week. The Sea Robbers face defending champions Magesi in the Carling Knockout. It'll be a perfect curtain-riser to their massive Betwway Premiership clash on Saturday against perennial league champions Mamelodi Sundowns.