Riveiro explains how Pirates' new-look defence was key to big Sundowns win

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro said his team simply did what was required in Saturday’s 3-0 second leg MTN8 semifinal win against defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns.

Goals by former Sundowns striker Kermit Erasmus (eighth minute) and on-form winger-cum striker Monnapule Saleng (83rd and 92nd minutes) took the Buccaneers to the final in a second leg played in front of a sold-out crowd at Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane. Bucs progressed 3-0 on aggregate after the first leg at Orlando Stadium ended 0-0.

Reaching a cup final was important for Riveiro just four months into his job at Bucs, as he prepares to guide Pirates in his first Soweto derby against Kaizer Chiefs in their DStv Premiership fixture at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Riveiro said Erasmus’ early goal, which came with the assistance of Saleng, was key in settling Pirates’ nerves and the team ending up winning convincingly. It allowed Bucs to play to their strength on transition against a ball-playing Sundowns.

“In these two legs of the game it [the early goal in the second leg] makes things difficult for the opponent and we know that we’re very strong in defending,” Riveiro said.

“It’s not very easy to create chances against Pirates nowadays. When we’re fully concentrating like [on Saturday] it’s a difficult mission for the opponent.

“That goal obviously creates the confidence around the boys to say, ‘This is going to be our day.’' If we had started in different way, well, you never know, but we just started in a way we dreamt about.”

The Spaniard was pleased with how Pirates defended after taking the lead and especially when they came under pressure with Sundowns pushing for the equaliser in the second half. 

“I can only say good things about our defensive phase. We defend with 11 players when we don’t have the ball.

“That’s one of the keys and one of the reasons why we’re getting these types of results. It’s not a secret.

“Everyone is involved in a defensive phase and in order to be a competitive team there’s no other way to do it, in our opinion.

“We have tried to convince the players to also enjoy the defensive responsibility because it’s part of this game.

“It’s not only about the centre backs and the way they defended [against Sundowns]. Obviously the defenders are the ones are who are close to the goals and have more responsibility.

“They have to make decisions in situations of high pressure. But the level of our centrebacks is not a secret. There’s a certain amount of competition, we train hard and they showed it again.”

Riveiro showered praise on Pirates’ stand-in goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane, who kept  a clean sheet for a second game in a row after coming in for the injured Ghanaian Richard Ofori.

“Mpontshane came in with a very good performance. I think we won as a team and as collective. We did things that the game was asking us to do and that’s the reason why we’re in the final.”

Pirates’s derby against Chiefs is their last game before a two-month Fifa international break for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. Bucs’ first league match after the break will be away to champions Sundowns on December 31.  

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