Bucs eager to end Downs’ dominance over them
Coach Riviero says past results won't matter as giants clash
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is unperturbed by their poor recent record against Mamelodi Sundowns heading into their MTN8 semifinal first leg at Orlando Stadium tomorrow (3.30pm).
The Buccaneers have not found joy when they met Sundowns in their past six matches across all competitions, losing five in succession, while drawing the other. In the process, the Brazilians have netted 14 times, with the Soweto giants responding with only two goals.
The last time Pirates tasted victory against Sundowns was on January 15, 2020, when striker Gabadinho Mhango scored the only goal at Orlando Stadium.
With this in mind, Riveiro was calm and said the current crop of players wanted to write their own history and one of them is to end that dominance by Downs.
“The past two seasons will not play on Saturday [tomorrow], you can be sure about that. The past is past and we try to look for the future with positive and understanding that this is a different story and different book this season,” Riveiro said.
“We have a chance to write our history and that’s what we are trying to do in every single game. We are trying to be ourselves whether we are facing Sundowns in the two legs of the semifinal we want to build and grow our own identity.
“What we are trying to do is much more important than this game. It doesn’t make sense for me to think what were the results last time when these two teams faced each other. It won’t have any role.
“The players are hungry and looking for this game because they are ambitious and are professionals and playing for Pirates.”
The 47-year-old also feels the match will not be decided in the first leg, but that they will have to play well to have an advantage going into the second leg.
“We will approach the game as we usually do, we will try to have a good game on Saturday and we suppose that nothing will be decided tomorrow,” he said.
“We have to play two games with two good teams well prepared and well-structured with good players, so probably nothing will be decided in the first leg."