Football coaches hardly embrace the favourites tag ahead of important matches but Orlando Pirates’ Jose Riveiro has proven to be a special case.
Riveiro has accepted that they are favourites in the Nedbank Cup final against Sekhukhune United at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tomorrow night (6pm). Be that as it may, the Spaniard knows Babina Noko won’t be pushovers. Pirates’ recent blistering form, where they’ve gone 12 games without tasting a defeat, is one of the reasons they are viewed by many as the favourites.
“I take it, I accept it [the favourites tag]. We are Orlando Pirates, any game we are going to play we have to accept that role and that pressure. At the same time, it doesn’t mean it is going to be an easy game just because we are Orlando Pirates and we are going to make it,” Riveiro said in a media conference at Nedbank’s headquarters in Sandton yesterday.
“We have to be mentally prepared for a difficult game, first of all because it’s a final and secondly, Sekhukhune showed several times against favourites this season what they are capable of. We know what’s coming and we know the amount of kilometres we need to cover in order to be the winning team at the end of 90 or 120 minutes.”
After replacing Kermit Erasmus in the 63th minute of their 4-0 thumping of AmaZulu in their last game of the DStv Premiership campaign last Saturday, star attacker Thembinkosi Lorch is expected to play a role again tomorrow after shaking off recent injury concerns. Even so, Riveiro didn’t want to confirm if Lorch was really fit to start, indicating the last training sessions will decide who gets to start among the 31 players available.
“We’ve just finished – two training [before the game] and tomorrow [today] it’ll be – one training with 31 players available to be selected. They are all very good players. I am not going to say who’s going to play, obviously I have a headache not only to select the starting XI but to take 20 players to be match-day squad."
Pirates’ Road to Final
Last 32: beat All Stars 2-0 (A)
Last 16: beat Venda Academy 2-1 after extra time (H)
Quarters: beat Dondol Stars 5-4 on penalties (A)
Semis: beat Chiefs 2-1 after extra time (A)
Pirates coach Riveiro wears favourites tag confidently
'We have to be mentally prepared for a difficult game'
Image: Lefty Shivambu
Football coaches hardly embrace the favourites tag ahead of important matches but Orlando Pirates’ Jose Riveiro has proven to be a special case.
Riveiro has accepted that they are favourites in the Nedbank Cup final against Sekhukhune United at Loftus Versfeld Stadium tomorrow night (6pm). Be that as it may, the Spaniard knows Babina Noko won’t be pushovers. Pirates’ recent blistering form, where they’ve gone 12 games without tasting a defeat, is one of the reasons they are viewed by many as the favourites.
“I take it, I accept it [the favourites tag]. We are Orlando Pirates, any game we are going to play we have to accept that role and that pressure. At the same time, it doesn’t mean it is going to be an easy game just because we are Orlando Pirates and we are going to make it,” Riveiro said in a media conference at Nedbank’s headquarters in Sandton yesterday.
“We have to be mentally prepared for a difficult game, first of all because it’s a final and secondly, Sekhukhune showed several times against favourites this season what they are capable of. We know what’s coming and we know the amount of kilometres we need to cover in order to be the winning team at the end of 90 or 120 minutes.”
After replacing Kermit Erasmus in the 63th minute of their 4-0 thumping of AmaZulu in their last game of the DStv Premiership campaign last Saturday, star attacker Thembinkosi Lorch is expected to play a role again tomorrow after shaking off recent injury concerns. Even so, Riveiro didn’t want to confirm if Lorch was really fit to start, indicating the last training sessions will decide who gets to start among the 31 players available.
“We’ve just finished – two training [before the game] and tomorrow [today] it’ll be – one training with 31 players available to be selected. They are all very good players. I am not going to say who’s going to play, obviously I have a headache not only to select the starting XI but to take 20 players to be match-day squad."
Pirates’ Road to Final
Last 32: beat All Stars 2-0 (A)
Last 16: beat Venda Academy 2-1 after extra time (H)
Quarters: beat Dondol Stars 5-4 on penalties (A)
Semis: beat Chiefs 2-1 after extra time (A)
Winning cup will be special for me – Vila
Pirates ready for unpredictable Sekhukhune – Maela
Monyane not worried by Mako starting ahead of him
I would love to lift this one - Cardoso ahead of cup final
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