On Sunday, a spirited Gallants side was knocked out of the Nedbank Cup after a narrow 1-0 loss to Orlando Pirates in the first semi-final, played at Orlando Stadium in Soweto.

Although the national cup exit was a disappointment for the Bloemfontein-based club, their full focus now shifts to the league.

Gallants currently sit 12th on the log, but they are not yet safe from the threat of landing in the promotion-relegation play-offs at the end of the season.

Abdes Ouaddou. Photo: Morgan Piek

Despite the defeat – which also dashed their hopes of playing continental football next season – Ouaddou said he is proud of his team’s performance against the Soweto giants, especially their fighting spirit.

“From the game, we could see that the guys have fantastic fighting spirit, and they believed right until the end,” said the former Moroccan international captain and Fulham centre-back.

“We saw an interesting phase of football, particularly in the second half. I read in a newspaper that this was a David versus Goliath match, but I didn’t see it that way. I have a lot of respect for Orlando Pirates – they’re one of the best teams not only in South Africa, but on the continent. My players can be proud of their performance.

“We made a small mistake in the first half and conceded a goal. You know how it is at this level – the smallest details can make the difference. We need to learn from that and improve when we return to the league.”

Gallants are in a far better position on the log than they were just a month ago. If results go their way, they could even sneak into the top eight and secure a place in next season’s MTN8. But Ouaddou emphasised that now is not the time to take their foot off the pedal – at least two more wins are still needed to secure their survival.

“We can breathe a little, but we’re not safe yet – you can see how close it is,” Ouaddou said of their league campaign, where he’s been steadily turning things around.

Junior Zindoga. Photo: Morgan Piek

“All the teams – SuperSport and the others – are bunched together, just two or three points apart, and things can change very quickly. We’ll rest a bit, but we’ll be back to work soon because the job is not done.”

“We can breathe, yes, but next week’s game against Golden Arrows won’t be easy, especially with their new coach. We need to stay focused – the work’s not finished. We still need at least two more wins to be safe.”

Gallants will take on Golden Arrows at the Dr Petrus Molemela Stadium on Saturday at 15:00.

OFM Sport/Morgan Piek cg