Pirates coach Ouaddou addresses Mabasa’s snub against Sekhukhune 

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has spoken about the exclusion of Tshegofatso Mabasa from the club's first two matchday squads, stating that the striker is fit and his opportunity to play will come.

Mabasa's omission from the team's MTN8 win over Polokwane City was unexpected, given his prolific goalscoring record last season. 

He was the Pirates' top scorer with 13 goals and was also the league's joint-top scorer with 16 goals, half a dozen of which he scored while on loan at Moroka Swallows.

The team's 2-0 victory over Sekhukhune United, which saw impressive performances from Boitumelo Radiopane and a debut from new signing Yanela Mbuthuma, initially provided some cover for the decision. 

However, the same strike partnership was used again in the subsequent 1-0 loss to Sekhukhune, a match where veteran striker Evidence Makgopa was also a spectator.

Ouaddou's explanation for his team selections is that they are based on who performs best in training. He indicated that the younger strikers' performances in practice have earned them their spots in the team, while Mabasa continues to wait for his chance.

’IT’S A CHOICE THAT WE DID’

“No, like I told you in the previous press conference, Mabasa is available, it’s a choice that we did, but he is ready and when we will call him, I think he will be able to perform and give us the best of him,” Ouaddou as quoted by iDiski Times.

“Of course you can maybe ask some questions [about his exclusion] because the strikers that we used didn’t score, so of course I understand your question. But like I said, we have a lot of players this season and everyone will get their chance on right moment.”