Pirates coach Riveiro unhappy with second half display in City draw

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has described Wednesday’s MTN8 semifinal clash against Cape Town City as a game of two halves.

This after the Buccaneers and the Citizens played to a 1-1 draw in the first leg clash at DHL Stadium in Cape Town.

Relebohile Mofokeng opened the scoring for Pirates in the 15th minute, but Jaedin Rhodes canceled that lead in the 81st minute to ensure that the sides go into the second leg in Orlando evenly poised.

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“It was one half for each team, but I think the first was also not 100% for us. I think in the first half, Pirates had more control and were clearer about what we wanted to do,” Riveiro told SuperSport TV.

“Sipho Chaine intervened two times in the first half but it was more of our mistakes, not that Cape Town City were creating chances.

“In the second half, we lost control in the 15 to 20 minutes, until they scored we couldn’t contain them and we were defending too low.”

Riveiro believes that Pirates had chances in the second half to take the lead to give themselves an advantage going into the second leg on Saturday.

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“We were not doing what we wanted, and we couldn’t manage to stop them until they scored. But I think late in the game, we had a couple of opportunities to get more advantage. But it’s 1-1, I think it’s going to be a tight game on Saturday.”