Riveiro praises Bucs for resilience in historic win in Cairo

'CAF fixture with Al Ahly was evenly matched'

Sihle Ndebele Sports journalist
Emam Ashour of Al Ahly challenges Thabiso Lebitso of Orlando Pirates during the CAF Champions League 2024/25 match at Cairo International Stadium in Cairo on Saturday.
Emam Ashour of Al Ahly challenges Thabiso Lebitso of Orlando Pirates during the CAF Champions League 2024/25 match at Cairo International Stadium in Cairo on Saturday.
Image: Weam Mostafa\BackpagePix

Orlando Pirates mentor Jose Riveiro lauded his troops' resilience after beating Al Ahly 2-1 in their last CAF Champions League Group C fixture in Cairo on Saturday. The victory ensured that the Soweto giants finished top of the group.

Relebohile Mofokeng and Tshegofatso Mabasa scored the goals that gave Pirates their third away win against Al Ahly. Hussein El Shahat scored the sole goal for the defending champions.

No PSL team has won more games away to Al Ahly than Pirates. Pirates finished the group stages campaign with 14 points which is guaranteed to be the highest point tally across all four groups.

"Overall I think it was a good game for both teams but I appreciate my players for playing like This, showing resilience against Ahly in Cairo. It is a message for ourselves as a young team to say and understand that we have the capacity to compete in scenarios like this one,'' Riveiro said.

"I am not talking about the game, but I am talking about the capacity to perform and to compete even in difficult moments like this. So we are so happy we are on top of the group. That is what is important but for today, it’s the character and the personality of the team that matters in a scenario like this."

I am not talking about the game, but I am talking about the capacity to perform and to compete even in difficult moments like this.
Pirates mentor Jose Riveiro

Riveiro was of the view that both teams were evenly matched in the first half, admitting Al Ahly threw everything they had in the second stanza.

"It was a good game for both teams looking for a good result from the first minute. I think the first half was very equal. There were moments for Pirates and moments for  Al Ahly... good chances,'' Riveiro said.

"In the second half, especially after we scored the first goal obviously they saw it would not be a good result for them to finish second so they threw everything they had but we managed to defend with a little bit of luck because it is also important for these kinds of games."

Pirates will wait to learn their quarterfinal opponent as CAF is yet to announce a date for the draw.

Bucs' immediate focus is on their league game away to troubled Royal AM on Thursday.

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