Orlando Pirates tactician Jose Riveiro aims to use today’s DStv Premiership clash against Royal AM at Orlando Stadium to prove that losing to Stellenbosch on the road, in their season opener on Saturday, was just an “accident”.
Antonio van Wyk’s solitary strike is what sank Pirates, who are touted as title candidates by many, in Stellenbosch. Conversely, Royal drew goalless against KZN foes AmaZulu in their first league tie of the campaign over the weekend. Kick-off is 3pm today.
Riveiro views today’s clash against Thwihli Thwahla as an opportunity to make amends and show that they were just unfortunate in the Cape Winelands.
“We are lucky that we have to play on Tuesday again at home and to show there that today [referring to Sunday’s game against Stellenbosch] it was just an accident [to lose],” said Riveiro.
With the CAF Champions League also on the horizon for Pirates, it means they will play a total of eight games this month. Riveiro is adamant they are well-equipped for a congested fixture programme ahead of them.
“Psychologically I think we are ready or I want to think that we are ready. We have 36 players in the squad to try and mitigate the fact that we have to play eight games in August with long trips and long waits in the airports and all of these things that we are going to find playing on the continent,” Riveiro said.
The Sea Robbers had gone 13 games unbeaten from last term with their last defeat the 1-0 against bitter foes Kaizer Chiefs in February in the league. Riveiro is pleased with the record they held, before Stellies stunned them, heaping praise on his troops’ overall display.
“I think the last time we lost a game was against Chiefs in February after that we had a fantastic record together and if I have to lose one game, I will like to do it like we did today, fighting until the end, creating opportunities, pushing our opponent to the limit. It’s football, it can happen like it happened today that you perform like this and you go home with zero points,” said the Pirates coach.
Royal AM game is an ‘opportunity to make amends’ – Riveiro
Pirates coach says loss to Stellenbosch was just a fluke
Image: EJ Langner
Orlando Pirates tactician Jose Riveiro aims to use today’s DStv Premiership clash against Royal AM at Orlando Stadium to prove that losing to Stellenbosch on the road, in their season opener on Saturday, was just an “accident”.
Antonio van Wyk’s solitary strike is what sank Pirates, who are touted as title candidates by many, in Stellenbosch. Conversely, Royal drew goalless against KZN foes AmaZulu in their first league tie of the campaign over the weekend. Kick-off is 3pm today.
Riveiro views today’s clash against Thwihli Thwahla as an opportunity to make amends and show that they were just unfortunate in the Cape Winelands.
“We are lucky that we have to play on Tuesday again at home and to show there that today [referring to Sunday’s game against Stellenbosch] it was just an accident [to lose],” said Riveiro.
With the CAF Champions League also on the horizon for Pirates, it means they will play a total of eight games this month. Riveiro is adamant they are well-equipped for a congested fixture programme ahead of them.
“Psychologically I think we are ready or I want to think that we are ready. We have 36 players in the squad to try and mitigate the fact that we have to play eight games in August with long trips and long waits in the airports and all of these things that we are going to find playing on the continent,” Riveiro said.
The Sea Robbers had gone 13 games unbeaten from last term with their last defeat the 1-0 against bitter foes Kaizer Chiefs in February in the league. Riveiro is pleased with the record they held, before Stellies stunned them, heaping praise on his troops’ overall display.
“I think the last time we lost a game was against Chiefs in February after that we had a fantastic record together and if I have to lose one game, I will like to do it like we did today, fighting until the end, creating opportunities, pushing our opponent to the limit. It’s football, it can happen like it happened today that you perform like this and you go home with zero points,” said the Pirates coach.
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