Ouaddou urges Pirates to keep believing after Siwelele draw

Vincent Pule opened the scoring for the visitors in the first half before Tshepang Moremi struck after the interval to ensure the sides shared the spoils at the Orlando Amstel Arena.

The Buccaneers remain top of the standings on 48 points, but defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns are just a point behind and still have a match in hand.

Although disappointed not to secure maximum points at home, Ouaddou refused to blame his players.

"We just have to keep going and believe because there are still nine games left. Our boys gave everything today on the pitch.

"We could've been more efficient in the last third but let's take the positives. There are still nine games to go and anything can happen in football. It's not an exact science.

"We will give some rest to the guys, and afterward we will come back to the battle and fight until the end."

READ: Rulani Mokwena agrees deal to take over ambitious Al-Ittihad project

Pirates responded quickly after the restart, drawing level just six minutes into the second half when Moremi collected a well-weighted pass from Thalente Mbatha before calmly finishing past Siwelele goalkeeper Ricardo Goss.

Ouaddou, the former Moroccan international defender, says he was encouraged by his side’s first-half display and used the halftime break to urge his players to keep the same tempo and maintain control of the contest.

Pirates pressed relentlessly in the closing stages as they searched for a decisive winner, but a combination of missed opportunities and inspired goalkeeping denied them all three points.

"I thought that maybe we could've had our fullbacks a little bit higher, in order to create a 2 v 1 on the side, and maybe we needed more initiative and mobility in the middle to avoid playing long balls. We really wanted to find the free man and to progress the ball through the middle, and I think we managed that in Moremi's goal."

Siwelele shot-stopper Ricardo Goss produced a standout performance, making 11 saves during the match to claim the Man of the Match award and frustrate the Buccaneers’ attacking line.

Ouaddou even joked afterwards that Goss produced a performance worthy of divine intervention given the number of chances he managed to keep out.

With nine fixtures still to be played before the end of the league campaign, Ouaddou believes every point will matter as the race for the title intensifies.

While the result feels like a missed opportunity, the Pirates coach says the single point could still prove important in the final standings.

"We cannot lie to say we are not disappointed because we have the feeling that we have lost two points at home, especially after the chances we created and ball possession we had.

"Let's fight until the end of the season, and maybe this point can be precious for us.