“When you play against lower-division teams, you can always learn lessons from them. I take both games as part of our learning process. I’m a very optimistic person, and I told the guys that these types of games and struggles and fights are going to be an important part of our journey together.
“Teams always grow quicker in difficult situations like what we experienced. We play as a group and the fans must understand that it is difficult to win a football game. We need to appreciate every victory,” he said.
Riveiro has previously stated they intend to win the Nedbank Cup and have been touted as odds-on favourites to win it. However, the Sea Robbers trainer is aware of the past surprise results in the competition.
In his research, he may have come across the story of how an NFD TS Galaxy side defeated Kaizer Chiefs in a final, how Baroka toppled Swallows and Chiefs in 2011 or how Pirates lost to Maluti FET College in the same year.
“We all have the option to be the champions; this is a difficult tournament. I have been reading and checking the history of this competition and it's full of surprises, with second-division teams going to the final.
“So, this is proof that there is still a lot of work to do if we want to be in the last games of the competition. We go game by game,” Riveiro told the media.
'We go game by game'
Riveiro mindful of cup’s banana skins
Image: Antonio Muchave
Orlando Pirates' hope for a domestic cup double this season is still intact after they dispatched lower-league Venda Football Academy (VFA) to make tonight's Nedbank Cup quarterfinal draw.
Bucs mentor Jose Riveiro, who clinched the MTN8 five months ago, is cautious about the banana skins the competition dishes up. Unlike the MTN8, where you play top flight sides, the Nedbank Cup features second- and third-tier teams and thus far, Pirates have enjoyed the luck of the draw.
They faced All Stars in the last 32 and then in the last 16 took on another NFD side, VFA, on Saturday, beating them 2-1 after extra-time courtesy of goals from Kermit Erasmus and Thembinkosi Lorch. Edmore Chirambadare got VFA's sole goal.
“I’m happy we are in the last eight; that’s what counts, to be in the next round. We are going to get the opportunity to compete better next time,” Riveiro said in his post-match press conference.
‘Not the game we wanted to play’: Riveiro after Pirates battle to edge VFA
“When you play against lower-division teams, you can always learn lessons from them. I take both games as part of our learning process. I’m a very optimistic person, and I told the guys that these types of games and struggles and fights are going to be an important part of our journey together.
“Teams always grow quicker in difficult situations like what we experienced. We play as a group and the fans must understand that it is difficult to win a football game. We need to appreciate every victory,” he said.
Riveiro has previously stated they intend to win the Nedbank Cup and have been touted as odds-on favourites to win it. However, the Sea Robbers trainer is aware of the past surprise results in the competition.
In his research, he may have come across the story of how an NFD TS Galaxy side defeated Kaizer Chiefs in a final, how Baroka toppled Swallows and Chiefs in 2011 or how Pirates lost to Maluti FET College in the same year.
“We all have the option to be the champions; this is a difficult tournament. I have been reading and checking the history of this competition and it's full of surprises, with second-division teams going to the final.
“So, this is proof that there is still a lot of work to do if we want to be in the last games of the competition. We go game by game,” Riveiro told the media.
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