Riveiro On Title Race: We Are Not Giving Up
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says they won’t give up on their ambitions of dethroning Mamelodi Sundowns as the champions of South Africa, signaling their intentions to take the Betway Premiership title race to the wire.
The Soweto giants secured a 1-0 victory over Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, courtesy of Nkosinathi Sibisi’s second-half strike, which closed the gap on the rampant Brazilians, who are targeting a record-extending eighth consecutive championship.
Riveiro’s charges have accumulated 46 points in 20 league outings, while Miguel Cardoso’s team has picked up 58 points, having played three more games. In the heated title race, the two sides have claimed each other’s scalp.
The Spanish mentor insists they won’t be throwing in the towel in any competition they are involved in as the Sea Robbers remain in contention in the three competitions, including the CAF Champions League and the Nedbank Cup – a competition they aim to clinch for three seasons in a row.
“I think nobody can question [say] that we are not trying in every game. I mean, we are not giving up in any competition. We want to win, no matter what happens or what the opponent does,” said Riveiro, who’s leaving the Mayfair club at the end of the season.
“We are going to try to be at the level we must be in every game until mathematics tells us we cannot continue going up; we are going to try until the last day. So, we knew what we were about against Polokwane City.”
Riveiro, who managed two consecutive runners-up finishes behind the Chloorkop-based outfit since his arrival, views the remaining matches of the season as cup finals as he acknowledges the difficulty of reigning supreme in the South African top-flight division.
“We already played a final for the remaining games, we know how difficult it is to be at the top in this league. We are going to try our best until the end, ” the 49-year-old tactician, who has lifted five domestic cup competitions with Pirates since June 2022, added.
The Buccaneers will switch their focus to the CAF Champions League, where they are set to host Algerian champions MC Alger in the second leg of their quarterfinals clash at Orlando Stadium on Wednesday. Mohau Nkota scored the decisive away goal in Algiers in the first meeting.
