Orlando Pirates mentor Jose Riveiro is pleased with his side’s form in 2023, stressing the importance of maintaining consistency in their quest for Champions League qualification.
Pirates climbed to second spot in the DStv Premiership standings after beating Richards Bay 2-0 at King Zwelithini Stadium at the weekend. Terrence Dzvukamanja and Monnapule Saleng were on target for the Sea Robbers. Pirates have won nine of the 12 games they’ve played this year with three defeats.
“The results are there. If we can look at the results of 2023, we’ll find Pirates winning a lot of games. [Even so] there’s always one topic to discuss. Early in the season, we were discussing that we don’t capitalise on the chances we create, then we were discussing that we don’t score in the second halves, now [it’s] lack of consistency [that we are discussing],” Riveiro said.
“At this moment we are second, so we are getting there ... we are getting it right. From my point of view, the team is improving ... that’s what we feel with the players but we are still far from being a complete team. We still must or should in the future play better.”
Pirates are level on points with SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs but occupy the coveted second spot by virtue of a better goal difference. The three teams are vying to finish second to qualify for the Champions League.
Quizzed about what’s better between chasing and being chased in the second spot race, the Pirates coach insisted “it doesn’t matter who’s second today or tonight but it’s the end of the season that matters. We know what we need to do.
“When the season started, we wished and we worked to try to be at the top but unfortunately it was impossible this season to achieve that level of consistency to fight for the top spot.
“Now our objective is to finish as high as possible and that means we want to be second ... we want to represent Pirates in Africa next season badly and we’ll go all the way until the last day trying to make sure that we are that team who finishes second in the end,” Riveiro said.
Spirited Riveiro vows to fight until the last match
Image: Sydney Mahlangu/BackpagePix
Orlando Pirates mentor Jose Riveiro is pleased with his side’s form in 2023, stressing the importance of maintaining consistency in their quest for Champions League qualification.
Pirates climbed to second spot in the DStv Premiership standings after beating Richards Bay 2-0 at King Zwelithini Stadium at the weekend. Terrence Dzvukamanja and Monnapule Saleng were on target for the Sea Robbers. Pirates have won nine of the 12 games they’ve played this year with three defeats.
“The results are there. If we can look at the results of 2023, we’ll find Pirates winning a lot of games. [Even so] there’s always one topic to discuss. Early in the season, we were discussing that we don’t capitalise on the chances we create, then we were discussing that we don’t score in the second halves, now [it’s] lack of consistency [that we are discussing],” Riveiro said.
“At this moment we are second, so we are getting there ... we are getting it right. From my point of view, the team is improving ... that’s what we feel with the players but we are still far from being a complete team. We still must or should in the future play better.”
Pirates are level on points with SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs but occupy the coveted second spot by virtue of a better goal difference. The three teams are vying to finish second to qualify for the Champions League.
Quizzed about what’s better between chasing and being chased in the second spot race, the Pirates coach insisted “it doesn’t matter who’s second today or tonight but it’s the end of the season that matters. We know what we need to do.
“When the season started, we wished and we worked to try to be at the top but unfortunately it was impossible this season to achieve that level of consistency to fight for the top spot.
“Now our objective is to finish as high as possible and that means we want to be second ... we want to represent Pirates in Africa next season badly and we’ll go all the way until the last day trying to make sure that we are that team who finishes second in the end,” Riveiro said.
Would you like to comment on this article?
Register (it's quick and free) or sign in now.
Please read our Comment Policy before commenting.
Trending
Related articles
Latest Videos