Orlando Pirates News Today: Ouaddou beats Riveiro’s record, Tito off to a flier in Bahrain & transfers

Latest Orlando Pirates news, as Abdeslam Ouaddou emerges with the highest win rate of any coach in the club’s PSL history at the 50-game mark and Patrick Maswanganyi wins big on his debut in Bahrain.  

Ouaddou sets a landmark at Orlando Pirates

Abdeslam Ouaddou has cemented his place among the most effective coaches in Orlando Pirates’ Premier Soccer League history after reaching the 50-game milestone with an extraordinary win rate that eclipses every predecessor.

The French-Moroccan tactician marked his 50th game in charge of Ezimnyama with a 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune United, emerging with the highest win rate of any coach at Pirates at that stage — winning 72% of his games.

Ouaddou has been in the Pirates job since the beginning of the 2025/26 season and has already delivered the Betway Premiership title, MTN8, and Carling KnockOut Cup. Three trophies in barely a season is a record that puts him firmly ahead of pace, and the numbers back it up.

The 47-year-old is now firmly in conversation for the title of most successful coach in the club’s PSL era — a distinction currently held by his immediate predecessor.

Jose Riveiro is currently considered to have earned that title after eclipsing former mentor Ruud Krol as the coach with the most games (131) and trophies (five). Krol left The Ghosts with a win rate of 50% after 119 matches, while Riveiro managed 131 matches in total and had a 62.5% win rate when he left the club.

72% – Abdeslam Ouaddou took charge of his 50th game as an Orlando Pirates coach last night (all comps). His 72% win rate is the best of any Pirates coach through their first half-century of games. Master. pic.twitter.com/XbR5fHJOx7

— OptaJabu (@OptaJabu) August 26, 2026

Ouaddou’s 72% win rate at the same 50-game threshold comfortably outstrips both figures, and he remains firmly on course to become the most successful coach in the PSL history of the club if he continues at anything close to this trajectory into his second season.

Maswanganyi off to flying start in Bahrain

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder Patrick Maswanganyi started his stint at Bahrain Premier League side Al Khalidiyah with a huge win.

Tito, who was unveiled on Thursday, was thrust into the fray immediately as he came on as a second half substitute during Al Khalidiyah’s match with Al Najma and the away side won by a big margin, thrashing their hosts 7-2.

A Winning Debut For Patrick Maswanganyi

Result: Al Najma 2-7 Al Khalidiyah

Tito came on as a substitute as Al Khalidiyah got off to a winning start in their 2026-27 Bahrain Premier League campaign.

The Bafana Bafana international and his club teammates will face Aali Club on… pic.twitter.com/JFXHwVKCn5

— Austin Ditlhobolo (@A_B_Ditlhobolo) August 27, 2026

It was just the start that Maswanganyi would have hoped for as his side got off to a winning start in the 2026-27 Bahrain Premier League season.

Maswanganyi will be hoping to start his first game for the club when they take on Aali Club in their next game on September 4.