Orlando Pirates want to retain ‘important’ Nedbank Cup

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says the Nedbank Cup is important to everyone at the club, therefore they’ll try to retain it.

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The Buccaneers are the defending champions of the competition having beaten Sekhukhune United 2-1 in the final at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in May last year.

“(Retaining the Nedbank Cup) is very important because it is South Africa’s top cup. The Nedbank Cup is an important trophy and every team who participates in the competition wants to go to the final at least,” Riveiro told the media this week.

“This cup is very important to everyone at the club, the players and coaching staff. We are all focused on this tournament and we will try (to win it) again.”

The Buccaneers will face AmaZulu in the quarterfinals at Durban’s Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday evening.

‘We are not Golden Arrows’

Ahead of this clash, Usuthu midfielder Ben Motshwari has warned his former team, Pirates that they would not have it easy against AmaZulu like they did against Golden Arrows.

The Buccaneers hammered Arrows 7-1 in the last game, with Tshegofatso Mabasa scoring his first hat-trick of his career.

“It also goes with the approach you know, we are not Golden Arrows,” Motshwari told the media in Durban.

“I think they (Arrows) had a different game plan when they approached that match, I don’t know what they were doing hence they were hammered by seven.

“For us, it’s going to be a different ball game altogether and we are cautious. Yes, they scored seven goals. Hopefully, they finished those goals against Golden Arrows.”

“Coming here is not going to be easy for them,” Motshwari said.

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“We are going to give them a tough time and I think we do have the quality players that can play football and that can go pound for pound with them.

“Yes, they are a big team, and we respect them, but this is football and anything can happen.”