Orlando Pirates head coach, Jose Riveiro, has responded to the team’s first loss of the season in the Betway Premiership, following their defeat to Stellenbosch FC at Orlando Stadium.
Despite the disappointment among supporters, Riveiro remains optimistic about the team’s prospects this season.
The loss saw the Buccaneers drop to second place in the league, tied on 21 points with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns, who secured a 3-0 win over Sekhukhune United on Saturday.
The two teams are level on points, but Sundowns have the advantage due to a superior goal difference.
Speaking to the media after the match, Riveiro acknowledged the tight competition at the top of the table. “We have the same number of points as Sundowns, but it’s the goal difference that separates us.
We’ve played only eight games, and there are still 30 to go,” he said. “We know how tough it will be to win every match, but we aim to stay in the race until the very end and compete for the top spot.”
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While Riveiro would have preferred a more commanding position, he remains calm and focused. “Obviously, we would like to be ahead by 10 points, but we understand the level of competition in this league.
Right now, that’s not realistic, so I’m not frustrated,” he explained. “This was our first defeat, and we didn’t play poorly to lose. We’ve had close wins, like the one against Chippa United, where we triumphed 2-1 in the last minute.
This is part of football, and we’re ready for the next match. This group will continue to fight until the final game.”