Marumo Gallants coach Abdeslam Ouaddou says his team needs two wins to survive the chop

Gallants fell just short of reaching their second final of the Nedbank Cup in three years following a 1-0  semi-final defeat at the hands of Orlando Pirates at the Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Kabelo Dlamini delivered the most telling blow as his 22nd-minute goal saw the Buccaneers progress to their third straight Nedbank Cup final and they will meet Kaizer Chiefs at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.

Siwelele sa Marumo will be shifting their focus to the Betway Premiership with their place in the league not yet guaranteed for next season but coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was pleased with how his side applied themselves in the cup match.

“From the game we could see that the guys have a fantastic fighting spirit, and they believed until the end. Ouaddou said after the match,"

“We saw an interesting phase of football, especially in the second half. I was reading in a newspaper that this was a David versus Goliath, But I did not think so

“I have a lot of respect for Orlando Pirates; it's one of the best teams, not only in South Africa but also in the African continent. My players can be proud of the game they had.

“We had a small mistake in the first half and we conceded a goal, and you know, in football at the highest level, there are small details and we need to learn about them and improve when we return to playing in the league.”

Bahlabane ba Ntwa are currently in a heated fight to keep their place in the top flight, with the battle for survival seemingly set to go all the way to the end of the season.

Gallants have had a tough season that has also seen them make a change in their technical team, with coach Dan Malesela replaced by the Moroccan coach, who, on his arrival, beat the Pirates 2-0 in the league.

Currently in 12th place, Gallants are unbeaten in their last three matches, with one draw and two wins. Their run in the Nedbank Cup played a key role in setting up their rise away from the danger zone but with only three points separating them from 15th-placed Supersport United, they are not yet out of the woods.

The Bloemfontein-based side will next play their league match at home against Golden Arrows this Saturday and Ouaddou has asked his side to remain focused, as a few wins could see them end the season on a high.

“We are breathing a little bit but we are not safe because you can see that gap. Ouaddou continued.

“You can see all these teams, Supersport and all these teams are in the same pocket, two or three points and it happens quickly. We are going to rest a bit, but we will be back quickly to continue working because we are not safe.

“We can breathe a little bit but next week against Golden Arrows will not be an easy game with their new coach (Manqoba Mngqithi); we need to remain focused because the work is not finished.

“We need at least two wins to be safe but it is not finished.”