sportskeeda
Orlando Pirates’ coach, Jose Riveiro, has acknowledged the unique challenge of facing Kaizer Chiefs in back-to-back weeks, noting that it’s a situation both teams must confront.
He emphasized that it’s not something they can dwell on, as Amakhosi are in a similar predicament.
Pirates are set to clash with Chiefs in the sold-out Nedbank Cup final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Tickets for this event sold out in just 90 minutes, marking the quickest sell-out in PSL history.
This match marks the second meeting in a short period for the two Soweto rivals, coming right after their league encounter at FNB Stadium last weekend, where Pirates emerged victorious.
“There’s no challenge; we must rise to the occasion,” Riveiro declared confidently.
“There’s no time to reflect on it. We played against Golden Arrows on Tuesday and will meet them again next week. We faced Chiefs just a week ago, and now we’re ready for them in the final. That’s fine. As long as we have games and objectives to pursue, we’re satisfied. If it’s a challenge for us, it’s equally challenging for our rivals, so there are no excuses.”
Riveiro has an impeccable record in the Nedbank Cup, achieving 14 consecutive victories since joining Pirates in June 2022.
As the season approaches its conclusion, he aims to maintain this remarkable streak, having already led the club to five trophies in less than three seasons. These include two Nedbank Cup titles over the past two years and three consecutive MTN8 championships, all won at the Moses Mabhida Stadium, including this season’s triumph.
When asked about the key factors that will influence the outcome of Saturday’s final, Riveiro highlighted the importance of preventing Chiefs from gaining an early advantage.
Season statistics show that Chiefs have a better goal-scoring record within the first 30 minutes of matches, while Pirates have a 55 percent scoring rate after the half-hour mark.
“I wish I could specify that,” Riveiro responded. “However, it’s crucial for us to start the game stronger this time. Last week at FNB Stadium, we allowed Chiefs too much of an early lead. Therefore, we need to ensure we are in a better position from kickoff, approaching the game with greater determination to control it early in the first half.
“That’s an area we need to enhance. As I mentioned, in 90 minutes, you experience six or seven different games, and we need to perform better than our opponents during those phases.”
