Just one more win in North Africa needed for Pirates to collapse Pyramids

There was nothing that surprised José Riveiro about Pyramids FC as the Egyptian outfit held Orlando Pirates to a 0-0 draw in the first leg of their Caf Champions League semifinal at FNB Stadium on Saturday. 

On clear chances created, Pyramids were ahead of the Buccaneers as the visitors had two goals overruled after Burundian referee Ndabihawenimana used VAR to verify their legitimacy, or lack thereof. Riveiro disputed there was any fortune in the Buccaneers keeping the score down and keeping themselves in with a chance in the tie, one the coach feels is fairly realistic despite the quality of the opposition and scoreline given Bucs have already managed three away victories against experienced combinations in North Africa on this unbeaten Champions League campaign.

Riveiro, though, admitted overruled goals should serve as a strong warning of what his side may face at 30 June Stadium in Cairo in Friday's return leg (8pm South African time). He expects Pyramids, who the coach has said are the strongest outfit his side have encountered this season, to attack with greater frequency and belief. Bucs' coach disputed the overruled strikes being referred to as “disallowed goals”.

“No, no goals,” the 47-year-old Spaniard, whose five domestic cup trophies, two runner-up spots in the Betway Premiership, strong challenge to seven-time successive champions Mamelodi Sundowns this campaign and Champions League semifinal will see him depart Bucs for bigger things at the end of the season.

“If the referee said they were not goals, then there were no goals, so we cannot speak about 'goals disallowed'. Of course it's something new for us now — we're not used to playing with VAR. And I also understand the frustration of the opponents, but I'm sure once they have the opportunity to check the actions carefully they will realise the referee was correct.

“But yes, it's a good warning for us to do it better, especially in the set pieces to really analyse what happened to avoid it next time.”

Perhaps lacking the intensity gained from playing in front of what would have been a packed, more compact Orlando Stadium, Pirates lacked killer instinct at a half-empty FNB, where they were forced to play as Orlando was booked for Easter church events.

The hope for Pirates to reach a third Champions League final after winning the trophy in 1995 and finishing as runners-up in 2013, is they manage a fourth victory away against North African clubs this campaign. Pirates beat CR Belouizdad in the group stage and MC Alger in the quarterfinals, both in Algeria. They also won away against record 12-time champions Al Ahly in Egypt — the two round-robin away wins were crucial to Bucs ending four points clear of the Red Devils in Group C.

Such results may give Riveiro optimism that his charges — a mix of youth, such as the terrible twosome who provided the goals in the previous away wins, Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota, and some experience, though little in this competition — will upset Pyramids in their backyard. A scoring draw will also be enough for Bucs to progress.

They are likely to need, as is always the case at this stage of the Champions League, some more things to go their way in Cairo. For the 90-plus minutes on Saturday, strongly backed by more than 23,000 of their supports at the iconic 2010 World Cup final venue, Pirates struggled to create definite chances, recording one clear shot on target from their nine attempts.

Not that Pyramids, apart from the overruled strikes, produced much better. Saturday's was a notably tactical battle that left the Egyptians holding the slender advantage at the 30 June Stadium, where they have scored a staggering 29 goals in seven Champions League matches this season. 

Pyramids' Croatian coach Krunoslav Jurcic acknowledged Pirates had had some good results, particularly in North Africa, recently, but said his side would be ready for them in Cairo as they wanted to qualify for a Champions League final for the first time since being founded in 2008.

“Yes, it's a very dangerous team playing away. They have very fast players and score goals on counterattacks. I know that because I've watched all those matches and I will be prepared,” Jurcic said. 

Riveiro insisted there was no doubt Pyramids were different and better than any team they had played before reaching the semifinals and he was not totally unhappy with the outcome of Saturday's first leg. He believes his side showed they can deal with pressure withstanding an attacking game plan employed by the Egyptian club, aimed at rattling less experienced continental campaigners Bucs on the huge stage of a Champions League semifinal. That is another reason the Spaniard believes Bucs are in with a shot away.

“I said already before the game that, for me, they're the best team we've played this season. It's a great team, a team playing in this competition and not showing any kind of pressure or nervousness in every game.

“Today was a good example of that. I think we have to appreciate it because sometimes it looks like we [South Africans] don't understand the stage where we are right now with this young team. We're an inexperienced team and today the supporters lost a bit of the confidence in them when we made a few mistakes in our build-up.

“Those are the moments where we needed them most because we know how to play football. This is the way we beat teams and that's the reason we managed to arrive at this stage, playing that kind of football. We're fighting in this competition because we're that kind of football team.

“I also hope the people from outside can appreciate what these boys are doing each and every game — I think today it's our game No 42. Our numbers are second to none this season and when we make a mistake that's when we need all our supporters and make sure that together we can continue celebrating good games today, and hopefully in many more to come.”

We'll try again; we're going to Egypt and we'll be ready to go on Friday, ready to try get the result we need. It's possible because of the [level of] competition [Pirates have] and double value of the goals [scored away from home].

—  José Riveiro

Another potential factor Riveiro will look to — though, given Pirates have used hostile crowds away to raise their own intensity, perhaps it's a small one — is Pyramids’ struggle to attract the big crowds associated with Egyptian giants Al Ahly and Zamalek.

Riveiro admitted Bucs would have to up their game a notch to come back with a result from Cairo, where north African powerhouses Esperance of Tunisia and AS FAR of Morocco were two of the four teams who recently lost to Pyramids.

“We're still unbeaten in the top competition on the continent and I think that should tell you enough about the way our team is competing this season, particularly in the Champions League. There's nothing to say to these guys — they're doing an incredible job. They're competing at the best level on the continent.

“We'll try again; we're going to Egypt and we'll be ready to go on Friday, ready to try get the result we need. It's possible because of the [level of] competition [Pirates have] and double value of the goals [scored away from home].

“It's 0-0 for both of us and it's not an easy one for us or Pyramids. We can anticipate a really interesting second leg and trust me, we'll do everything to make it possible. If it's not possible, we'll go to the next one [Nedbank Cup final against arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs on May 10].”