Riveiro: Stellies Always Gives Us A Tough Game 

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says traveling from Algeria to South to play another game immediately after playing against CR Belouizdad didn’t affect his players mentally or physically because they knew about this a long time ago. 

The Buccaneers played their first game of the group stages in the Champions League on Tuesday against the Algerian giant CR Belouizdad. Fortunately, Riveiro’s side managed to come back home with maximum points as they won 2-1 and the youngster Mohau Nkota was the hero as he scored two goals. This Sunday, the Buccaneers will be playing against Stellenbosch at Orlando Stadium in the league game. 

Riveiro says they are focusing on winning this game on Sunday and also performing at their level. 

“Nothing [affected players physically or mentally about traveling from Algeria to South Africa to play another game immediately after playing another game in Algeria],” the Spanish tactician said. 

“We knew the schedule since a long time ago and prepared to deal with that. We are just focusing on the things that can help us to get the objectives, to win the match, and to perform at our level. 

“We are preparing everything, we don’t use our time to feel sorry or to feel tired or stuff like that. We make sure that on Sunday we are ready again, and we have the resources in the capacity to do it – so it’s not going to be a big issue for us.” 

Meanwhile, Riveiro believes that this game on Sunday will not be an easy one because Stellenbosch always gives them a tough game. 

“They’ve been a very competitive side since a long time ago, and it’s not by chance it’s due to how good they are; they are collective,” added Riveiro. 

 “They were changing in the last season as they had many probably important names in their starting eleven in the squad. But they still competing at a very high level, it’s one of the teams that is competing in Africa representing the country. 

“They can perform in many different scenarios. They managed to play two finals in a row in the last season [and this season]. That speaks very well about the culture of a team that we are going to face, always giving us problems. 

“More recent times we played them in Orlando and after 70 minutes we were leading 2-0, we lost the game 2-3. That speaks very well about the capacity of the opponent that we going to face. 

“So, a lot of credit to them, for the resources they are getting for the football that they are playing. You also speak about the threat, that’s a team with the capacity to dominate an opponent with possession, it’s an opponent with the capacity to defend well and punish you in quick transition, it’s a team with the capacity to create problems with set pieces,” he continued. 

“So, they are not competing by chance they’ve been good for some time. They are well structured, a team with talent, with capacity to give you a difficult game for sure.” 

These two sides will be not facing each other for the first time this season. Last month, the Buccaneers beat Stellies 3-1 in the final of the MTN 8 at Moses Mabhida Stadium. 

Monnapule Saleng, Tshegofatso Mabasa and the 2023/24 season young player of the season Relebohile Mofokeng scored the three winning goals for the Pirates.