Marumo Gallants Coach Faces Battle on Two Fronts

Marumo Gallants coach Abdeslam Ouaddou is bracing for a challenging period as he balances the club’s Nedbank Cup aspirations with their fight to avoid relegation in the Betway Premiership. The Moroccan tactician recently took over from Dan Malesela, who was dismissed alongside technical director Molefi Ntseki.

A Mixed Start for Ouaddou

Ouaddou had a dream start, leading Gallants to a stunning 2-0 victory over title-chasing Orlando Pirates in the league. However, his second outing ended in a setback with a midweek defeat to Stellenbosch FC.

Next up, Gallants face Durban City FC in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Chatsworth on Sunday (15:00). As 2020 champions, they are favorites against their Motsepe Foundation Championship opponents but will not take the match lightly.

“It’s a tricky team,” Ouaddou admitted. “But as I told the players, we must respect all opponents. There are no easy games, especially in cup competitions. Teams from lower divisions always bring big energy, and they’ll want to beat us. We must field our strongest side to progress.”

Fighting for Survival

Gallants are also battling at the wrong end of the Betway Premiership table, sitting third from bottom with 10 matches left. Despite their struggles, Ouaddou remains confident they can secure survival.

“Every game is important. We will fight until the end and will not surrender,” he said. “We can save the club until the last minute of the last game. We have to believe in that. And I truly feel we can.”