Despite the daunting challenge Orlando Pirates face to topple Mamelodi Sundowns for the DStv Premiership title, coach Jose Riveiro is not throwing in the towel for the title as yet.
Before last night’s match between Sundowns and Swallows at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, the Buccaneers were 12 points behind in the title race.
But Riveiro feels there are still many points to be played and anything can happen in the remaining matches.
“I would have loved to play Sundowns with 26 points or with 27 or 30 and not with 19,” the Spaniard said.
“But the game we played on Friday against Sundowns is not going to make a difference at the end of the season about the position on the table.
“That’s why the league is so important because you have to play well in other matches and go to Cape Town City and get three points and go to other games to try and get three points.
“Had we got three points against Sundowns, it would have helped us to close the gap with one game less or one more than Sundowns we couldn’t and now it is a big difference.
“I would like to face these games closer to our opponents. If we got the three points against Sundowns, that would have meant that we got close to the top.
“But the season is still long, we have played only 14 matches and there are still a lot of points to be played and we will continue to fight until the end.”
The Buccaneers will visit Cape Town City in their first match of the New Year on Saturday, desperate to bounce back from a 0-2 defeat they suffered at Sundowns last Friday.
They will then face Golden Arrows, Stellenbosch and Marumo Gallants this month, and Riveiro is looking forward to the challenge.
“I think this month is not that bad like it was at the beginning of the season in terms of games and it will allow us to train more and train better,” he said.
“That’s crucial for us that we will have good weeks to prepare ourselves. The schedule is what it is and there is nothing we can do more than to prepare. It is part of our job and we will look better in the future, that’s for sure.”
Fixtures
Friday: Swallows v Chippa, Dobsonville 7.30pm; Richards Bay v Sundowns, King Goodwill 7.30pm.
Saturday: Arrows v SuperSport, Princess Magogo 3.30pm; Gallants v Maritzburg, Royal Bafokeng 3.30pm; CPT v Pirates, Cape Town 5.30pm; Chiefs v Sekhukhune, FNB 8pm.
Sunday: Royal v AmaZulu, Chatsworth 3.30pm; Galaxy v Stellenbosch, Mbombela 5.30pm.
'Pirates still in the chase for Premiership title'
Season still on, anything can happen, says Riveiro
Image: Veli Nhlapo
Despite the daunting challenge Orlando Pirates face to topple Mamelodi Sundowns for the DStv Premiership title, coach Jose Riveiro is not throwing in the towel for the title as yet.
Before last night’s match between Sundowns and Swallows at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, the Buccaneers were 12 points behind in the title race.
But Riveiro feels there are still many points to be played and anything can happen in the remaining matches.
“I would have loved to play Sundowns with 26 points or with 27 or 30 and not with 19,” the Spaniard said.
“But the game we played on Friday against Sundowns is not going to make a difference at the end of the season about the position on the table.
“That’s why the league is so important because you have to play well in other matches and go to Cape Town City and get three points and go to other games to try and get three points.
“Had we got three points against Sundowns, it would have helped us to close the gap with one game less or one more than Sundowns we couldn’t and now it is a big difference.
“I would like to face these games closer to our opponents. If we got the three points against Sundowns, that would have meant that we got close to the top.
“But the season is still long, we have played only 14 matches and there are still a lot of points to be played and we will continue to fight until the end.”
The Buccaneers will visit Cape Town City in their first match of the New Year on Saturday, desperate to bounce back from a 0-2 defeat they suffered at Sundowns last Friday.
They will then face Golden Arrows, Stellenbosch and Marumo Gallants this month, and Riveiro is looking forward to the challenge.
“I think this month is not that bad like it was at the beginning of the season in terms of games and it will allow us to train more and train better,” he said.
“That’s crucial for us that we will have good weeks to prepare ourselves. The schedule is what it is and there is nothing we can do more than to prepare. It is part of our job and we will look better in the future, that’s for sure.”
Fixtures
Friday: Swallows v Chippa, Dobsonville 7.30pm; Richards Bay v Sundowns, King Goodwill 7.30pm.
Saturday: Arrows v SuperSport, Princess Magogo 3.30pm; Gallants v Maritzburg, Royal Bafokeng 3.30pm; CPT v Pirates, Cape Town 5.30pm; Chiefs v Sekhukhune, FNB 8pm.
Sunday: Royal v AmaZulu, Chatsworth 3.30pm; Galaxy v Stellenbosch, Mbombela 5.30pm.
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