JOHANNESBURG — Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou owned up to a tactical misstep with Relebohile Mofokeng in the 2-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns. The 21-year-old, fresh off three straight Player of the Match awards, struggled after constant positional switches.

Ouaddou praised Mofokeng’s game-reading ability as among the best in the Betway Premiership. Still, deploying him wide and rotating with Oswin Appollis threw off his flow. Mofokeng racked up three goals and two assists in his prior two outings as a No. 10. Against Sundowns, turnovers piled up in the wider channel.

“He’s clever and can play two or three positions in modern football,” Ouaddou said. “Rele is used to playing out wide, and we have used him in many games as a 10. I believe that when he plays as a 10, he has a total scan of the possibilities. When we put him out wide, he only has a half-scan because of the touchline.”

The coach reflected on the game’s demands. Pirates led the table but now hold a three-point edge with Sundowns owning a match in hand. Ouaddou plans to lock Mofokeng into fewer spots for stability.

“I know that today, we moved him a lot,” he added. “Sometimes when a player settles in one position and feels comfortable, changing him once or twice can destabilise him. Maybe we need to think about stabilising him in at least one position during a game.”

Mofokeng’s low center of gravity suits quick decisions under pressure. Ouaddou eyes training drills to sharpen that edge. High-stakes matches like this one leave little room for error.

“We can still help him in training by creating situations where he’s under pressure to develop,” Ouaddou said. “The high level of play gives you less time to make decisions.”

Pirates pushed hard but fell short. Sundowns struck twice to claim victory. Ouaddou’s admission highlights the fine line in managing young talent amid a tight title race.