‘An emotional moment’: Pirates coach Riveiro on screaming after Mbatha screamer

Jose Riveiro is not known for expressing his emotions often, so his charged-up response to midfielder Thalente Mbatha’s long-range rocket in Orlando Pirates’ win against CR Belouizdad seemed to show the magnitude of the moment and occasion.

The Buccaneers’ fired-up 2-1 Caf Champions League win saw Riveiro’s team clinch their first progression past the group stage since reaching the 2013 final with a match to spare.

Bucs have 11 points before Saturday’s group C closing game against Al Ahly (10 points) in Cairo that will decide the group winners.

After Relebhohile Mofokeng’s smartly taken 20th-minute opener against Algerian outfit Belouizdad at a packed, noisy Orlando Stadium, Bucs had to wait until the 61st for Mbatha to deliver the second with what is becoming a trademark screamer from the Bafana Bafana midfielder.

In a sign of the relief the second goal brought, Riveiro pumped his arms in celebration and screamed at the fans directly behind him. Asked about it after the game, the coach said if there was a hint of anger in the emotional moment it was in reaction to some in the crowd getting on Mbatha's back moments earlier. 

“It’s a normal reaction during a game,” the coach said, back to his deadpan self in the post-match press conference.

“I think there was a moment where Thalente lost a few balls and the atmosphere changed a bit and we cannot afford to do that [the crowd turning on players].

“It’s an emotional reaction because the players are human, they have feelings. It’s important they feel they are playing at home every minute, not only when they are scoring or when we are paying nicely.

“Sometimes we have to understand it’s not easy. We have an opponent facing us, they also want to win, and this is a tough competition.

“So we need to capitalise on what not every team has, which is our fan base. So, again [shrugs his shoulders], it’s a moment of the game that maybe I shouldn’t [react].

“It’s an emotional moment but I think we are fine. It’s OK. I think the fans played a big role again, coming in numbers and we are trying to play for them all the time.”

Abdelraouf Benguit pulled back Belouizdad’s goal in the second minute of added time, too late for group C’s third-placed team on six points to alter the result.

The result completed a double for Pirates against the Algerian club, who the Soweto giant beat by the same scoreline in their opening game on November 26.

The Buccaneers then drew at home against Al Ahly and in Ivory Coast against Stade d'Abidjan, then beat Stade 3-0 at home on January 4 before Saturday's win against Belouizdad.