Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro expressed bewilderment at his team’s apparent knack for cup success.

The Buccaneers secured their third consecutive MTN8 semifinal berth over the weekend, adding to their recent dominance in domestic cup competitions. They’ve lifted the MTN8 and Nedbank Cup twice in the past two seasons.

However, this cup prowess hasn’t translated to league titles, with Pirates finishing second to Mamelodi Sundowns in the past two campaigns. A significant 16-point gap separated the teams in 2022/23, widening to 23 points last season.

When questioned about the disparity between cup and league performance, Riveiro admitted perplexity. “I would like to know what is the secret so we can do exactly the same things when we get into the league games, when we play for three points,” said Riveiro.  

“I am sure there’s many components and it is our challenge. Like I said at the end of the season, in our last press conference, I will repeat myself – it is the challenge to have the capacity to think about what we are playing for, we are playing for Orlando Pirates and the responsibility is the same.  

“It is true that so far, we have managed to have special nights in the cups, it is a decent record, we are in the right space to do these types of things.”