Riveiro shares two MTN8 winning elements

Against all odds, Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro chose two factors that helped his team win their fourth MTN8 Cup championship.

A first-half goal by Monnapule Saleng gave Pirates a 1-0 victory over AmaZulu in front of a packed Moses Mabhida Stadium. Riveiro won his first trophy in South Africa after joining the team in the preseason.

PIRATES INJURIES

Innocent Maela, Goodman Mosele, and Fortune Makaringe were all listed as injured going into the game by the Pirates.

Maela and Mosele were regulars on Riveiro’s team, so losing them would have been devastating.

The game’s problems for the Spaniard were made worse 25 seconds in when Nkosinathi Sibisi had to be taken out due to a calf strain.
Thabiso Monyane also battled a groin injury prior to the end of the first half, necessitating a second impromptu substitute. The Soweto giants persisted, though, to maintain their slim advantage.

HUNGER AND HUMILITY

After the game, Riveiro spoke with SuperSport TV to discuss the two qualities that enabled the team to overcome all obstacles and win.

“I’m really happy to play in a final with a team like Pirates, knowing that people are rooting for us. We observed how the participants played the game and the challenges we encountered throughout the previous two weeks.
“And it’s incredible how we were able to control our emotions and compete in this way. So, as a coach, I’m quite proud,” Riveiro added.

He acknowledged that the loss of Sibisi, a former defensive mainstay for the Golden Arrows, was a significant challenge for the Buccaneers.

“It’s a major issue; obviously, the opening pitch of the game resulted in an injury in a section where we had lately experienced difficulties.

“But you notice how the boys maintained their focus. The strategy was not abandoned. Who joins the starting eleven is irrelevant. They’re all working out fine. They are simultaneously modest and peckish. The outcome is what it is, he continued.

Riveiro reiterated the two elements – hunger and humility, saying there was an understanding of the broader vision of the club amongst the players.

“They are humble, they know what they are representing, and they do it with passion every day. At the same time, they are hungry and showed that….”

 

Also read: Orlando Pirates win the MTN8 trophy foever