Riveiro Downplays Personal Glory As Pirates Storm Into Nedbank Cup Quarterfinals
As Orlando Pirates secured their place in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals, coach José Riveiro emphasized that the records falling under his leadership in this competition are not about him personally, but rather about the team’s collective effort.
This came after Pirates’ 3-1 victory over Baroka in the Nedbank Cup round of 16 at Orlando Stadium on Saturday. It was Pirates’ 12th consecutive win in the competition, all under Riveiro, who has guided the team to victory in the past two Nedbank Cup seasons.
Tshegofatso Mabasa scored a hat-trick, with two goals coming in the first half, during which Pirates dominated the Motsepe Foundation Championship side from Soweto. This keeps Pirates on track to become the first team to win the Nedbank Cup three times, a feat they have already achieved with the MTN8, winning that trophy three times in a row.
“I don’t speak about individuals,” Riveiro said on SuperSport TV after the game. “The team that is winning is Pirates, the team that is breaking records is Pirates, not the coach. So, we are together, and we are trying to do our best and help the team improve its history together. So, we are on task.”
Baroka faced a difficult challenge against a Pirates side eager to recover from their painful 4-1 loss to Mamelodi Sundowns last weekend. Baroka’s last win against Pirates was in December 2018, when they won the Carling Knockout Cup via penalties at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium. The two teams had not met since April 2022, when Baroka was still in the Betway Premiership before their relegation that season.
Pirates join SuperSport United, Marumo Gallants, Stellenbosch FC, and Durban City FC in the quarterfinals. The draw will take place on Monday.
