Pirates coach Riveiro predicts tight finish in title race

Following his team’s narrow victory over Mamelodi Sundowns this past weekend, Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has predicted a tight finish to the league title race this season.

This comes after the Buccaneers edged the Brazilians 2-1 at a packed FNB Stadium on Sunday to close the gap on the log-leading Brazilians to 15 points although Pirates have four games in hand over Sundowns.

ALSO READ: Sundowns coach Cardoso expects more surprises in title race

Relebohile Mofokeng scored a brace for Pirates inside the opening five minutes of the game, while Khuliso Mudau netted the consolation goal for Sundowns.

“The win allowed us to reduce the lead, but it’s still a long way to go,” Riveiro told the media.

“We’re competing against a team that is used to collecting a lot of points. But I’m sure that it’s going to be a tight race because we’re at the level that the challenge is asking of us. Let’s see if we have what it takes [to topple Sundowns], but if we fail this season, we will try again next season.”

Riveiro happy with Pirates’ display

Riveiro was pleased with his team’s overall performance against Sundowns, adding that his charges executed the game plan well and deserved to walk away with maximum points in this encounter.

“We tried to convince ourselves to have a strong beginning to the game. I will not say we planned to score two goals so early in the game, but we were accurate initially. We got the lead nice and early in the game and if you get a lead early, it gives you a good advantage and boosts your confidence. So it was a fantastic script for us.

“We knew the second half would be tough and it’s going to demand that we are a serious team. A team with the capacity to be resilient, to suffer, and to do our job, and that we showed in the second half,” commented Riveiro.

Riveiro added that contrary to many people’s belief Pirates did not intend to park the bus in the second half, but were forced to by Sundowns.

“They scored one and there was a bit of uncertainty but this is football.  Maybe people thought that Pirates were parking the bus, but it was the opponent. They were good,” concluded Riveiro.

Pirates’ next league fixture is against Polokwane City at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on April 6. 

Prior that encounter against Rise and Shine, the Buccaneers will face MC Alger of Algeria away in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarterfinals on April 1.