Abdeslam Ouaddou has turned up the heat in the Betway Premiership title race by comparing the Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns battle to the iconic Manchester City versus Arsenal duels in the Premier League. The Buccaneers sit second on 62 points, just two behind Sundowns with three matches remaining, and have set a new club record for points in a Betway Premiership campaign following their win over Stellenbosch FC. Despite holding a superior goal difference, Pirates still trail the league leaders, meaning they must win all three of their remaining games and hope Sundowns stumble if they are to seize the crown.
Ouaddou insisted the intense rivalry has injected genuine excitement into South African football, arguing that a predictable title race kills fan interest. “In every league, if you can look at the Premier League in England, Manchester City and Arsenal are fighting, I think it’s the same fight that we are seeing in South Africa,” he told journalists. The Moroccan coach praised his squad for raising the level of competition and made it clear they will not relent until the final whistle. “The players are going to fight… maybe people will know the champions on the last day,” he added, underlining that the dream remains very much alive.
The run-in promises high drama as Sundowns face Siwelele FC before closing away to TS Galaxy, while Pirates begin their final push away to Magesi FC, then host Durban City FC, and end the season on the road against Orbit College. With everything on the line and Sundowns holding the narrowest of leads, Ouaddou has framed this as a historic test of nerve. Pirates must be perfect, and Sundowns cannot afford a slip. The championship will likely be decided on the final matchday, delivering the kind of wire-to-wire tension that has been missing in South African football for years.