Riveiro confident Sibisi will bounce back

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro believes Nkosinathi Sibisi’s (right) penalty miss in their previous game against AmaZulu won’t affect his performance, as the club goes into their next DStv Premiership encounter against Golden Arrows at Princess Magogo Stadium on Tuesday.

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Sibisi’s penalty miss saw Pirates only manage a 1-1 draw with Usuthu. The Buccaneers have not won any of their last four matches in all competitions.

Playing Arrows will be crucial for the Buccaneers to try get back on the winning track again, and Sibisi, who will be facing his former team, will be key to the Bucs defence to ensure that they remain firm at the back.

“Someone has to take the penalty, he did it and I thank him for doing it because it is not easy to take on that responsibility. Hopefully we get more chances and more frequent possibilities to take a penalty. Sibisi is a rock and he will be back immediately,” said the Pirates mentor.

“We are all disappointed with the result (against AmaZulu), but it is not because we missed a
penalty.”

Pirates are in fifth place on the log, with the Soweto giants having only been able to collect 16 points in 11 league games, which includes only four victories.

The Buccaneers’ main problem has been their underwhelming displays in front on goal, with only seven top-flight goals this season.

Arrows, meanwhile, will head into this tie having recorded two wins, one loss and two draws in their past five fixtures.

Abafana Be’Sthende have been better in front of goal, with 10 goals in those games.

The KZN club are in eighth spot on the log, with 10 points. Last season, the two sides played to two goalless stalemates in the league.

Sibisi’s penalty miss saw Pirates going on to play to 1-1 draw with Usuthu, with the club registering their fourth straight draw, and the team has only recorded one victory in their past five games.

Playing Arrows will be crucial for the Buccaneers to try to turn the draws into wins after dropping a lot of points in their last few games and Sibisi, who will be facing his former team in Arrows, will be key to the Bucs defence to ensure that they remain firm at the back and not allow Abafana Be’Sthende to score.

“Someone has to take the penalty, he (Sibisi) did it and I thank him for doing it because it is not easy to get that responsibility. Hopefully we get more chances and more frequent possibilities to take a penalty. Sibisi is a rock and he will be back immediately,” said the Pirates mentor.

“We are all disappointed with the result (against AmaZulu), but it is not because we missed a penalty.”

Pirates are in fifth place on the league standings with the Soweto giants having only been able to collect 16 points in their last 11 games, where they registered only four victories.

The Buccaneers main problem has been their dissatisfying display in front on goals after only scoring three goals in five games, a poor stat looking at the team’s attack, which boasts the likes of Zakhele Lepasa, Kermit Erasmus, Monnapule Saleng and Eva Nga.

Arrows, meanwhile, will head into this tie with the KwaZulu-Natal outfit having recorded two wins, one loss and two draws in their past five fixtures. Abafana Be’Sthende have also looked good in front of goals with the team managing to score 10 goals in those games.

The KZN club are in eighth spot on the league standings with 10 points in the bag from 10 matches. Last season, the two sides played to two goalless stalemates in the league.