Pirates put in a gallant display to hold Ahly to a scoreless draw in what was their Champions League Group C second match at a packed and vibrant Orlando Stadium. The result meant Bucs and Al Ahly are level on four points in Group C with the Egyptian on top because of a better goal difference.
"The lessons for us is that when we play at this level with this level of concentration, ambition and determination, we can on the day compete with everyone,'' Riveiro said.
"We came here with an inexperienced and young team, playing against a team that's opposite of that, a team with experience in this type of games and with very mature players and we coped...we, for the better part of the game, managed to be superior."
Riveiro insisted that they must be better than before after the Ahly clash, also lauding the impact of their fans, who sang their lungs out in the heat at Orlando Stadium. Pirates' next Champions League game is away to Ivorian side Stade d'Abidjan on Saturday (6pm SA time). The Ivorians remain bottom of Group C after losing 1-0 to CR Belouizdad of Algeria on Saturday, having lost their opener 4-2 to Ahly last month.
"We should feel stronger after this match. If we face the games with today's attitude, tomorrow we will be a better team,'' the Pirates coach said.
"The level that Pirates, these boys [his players], showed today, with the help of our people [their fans], it's incredible to play at Orlando Stadium with that atmosphere. If all those things come together, we are a difficult team to deal with.''
Meanwhile, Ahly mentor Marcel Koller said Pirates were a "strong team", valuing the point in Soweto.
"We played against a strong team today and it wasn't easy to win. I expected a lot from my team but in the end, we are happy with a point,'' Koller noted.
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Pirates coach happy with 'high level' show against Ahly
We are becoming a difficult team to deal with – Riveiro
Image: Lefty Shivambu
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is adamant that the Buccaneers can go toe-to-toe with anyone, should they always apply themselves like they did in Saturday's goalless draw against perennial CAF Champions League kings, Al Ahly.
Pirates put in a gallant display to hold Ahly to a scoreless draw in what was their Champions League Group C second match at a packed and vibrant Orlando Stadium. The result meant Bucs and Al Ahly are level on four points in Group C with the Egyptian on top because of a better goal difference.
"The lessons for us is that when we play at this level with this level of concentration, ambition and determination, we can on the day compete with everyone,'' Riveiro said.
"We came here with an inexperienced and young team, playing against a team that's opposite of that, a team with experience in this type of games and with very mature players and we coped...we, for the better part of the game, managed to be superior."
Riveiro insisted that they must be better than before after the Ahly clash, also lauding the impact of their fans, who sang their lungs out in the heat at Orlando Stadium. Pirates' next Champions League game is away to Ivorian side Stade d'Abidjan on Saturday (6pm SA time). The Ivorians remain bottom of Group C after losing 1-0 to CR Belouizdad of Algeria on Saturday, having lost their opener 4-2 to Ahly last month.
"We should feel stronger after this match. If we face the games with today's attitude, tomorrow we will be a better team,'' the Pirates coach said.
"The level that Pirates, these boys [his players], showed today, with the help of our people [their fans], it's incredible to play at Orlando Stadium with that atmosphere. If all those things come together, we are a difficult team to deal with.''
Meanwhile, Ahly mentor Marcel Koller said Pirates were a "strong team", valuing the point in Soweto.
"We played against a strong team today and it wasn't easy to win. I expected a lot from my team but in the end, we are happy with a point,'' Koller noted.
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