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Abdeslam Ouaddou claims first Betway Premiership award of the season

Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has been named the Betway Premiership Coach of the Month for August, after guiding the defending champions to an unbeaten start to the 2026/27 league campaign.

Also see: The PSL race to top the league after the Soweto Derby 

The Premier Soccer League (PSL) confirmed the Moroccan tactician as the first Coach of the Month winner of the new season yesterday, 8 September 2026. The award was decided by a panel of PSL media-accredited judges. 

An impressive start for Abdeslam Ouaddou

Orlando Pirates have enjoyed an impressive opening month, recording three victories and one draw from their first four league matches. These results saw the Soweto giants establish themselves among the early leaders of the Premiership.  

The Buccaneers began their title defence with a 2–0 victory over newly promoted Milford FC before drawing 1–1 away to AmaZulu. They subsequently produced convincing wins over Chippa United and Sekhukhune United, scoring freely while maintaining a strong defensive record. 

According to IOL and Soccer Laduma, Pirates scored 12 goals and conceded only once across their four August league fixtures, keeping four clean sheets in the process.  

Also see: Fans give the new Betway Premiership trophy a thumbs down-‘it looks like a shisha pipe’

Soccer Laduma reports the accolade represents another significant achievement for Ouaddou, who has enjoyed a strong run of recognition since taking charge of Pirates.

He also won the final Coach of the Month award of the 2025/26 season in May after guiding the club through an unbeaten finish that helped secure the Premiership title. 

His latest award therefore underlines the consistency of his work at Orlando Pirates, with the coach now tasked with maintaining the champions’ strong start as they look to defend their league crown. 

The August awards also saw AmaZulu striker Thandolwenkosi Ngwenya named Player of the Month after scoring five goals in four appearances, while Mamelodi Sundowns forward Brayan Leon won Goal of the Month. 

Also see: MTN8 semi-final 2nd leg confirmed: Who will reach the final?

Featured image: Getty Images/Daniel Hlongwane

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