Riveiro Praises Pirates’ Resilience After MTN8 Final Berth

Orlando Pirates coach José Riveiro praised the resilience and determination of his players following their commanding 2-0 victory over Cape Town City at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, which secured their place in the MTN8 final.
This achievement marks the third consecutive year that the Buccaneers have reached the MTN8 final, having emerged victorious in the previous two editions.
“The team today played with great character and personality, enjoying their football, which is the most important thing. We offered a good show, and the fans were happy. It’s wonderful to see Orlando [Stadium] like this,” said the Spanish coach on SuperSport TV, clearly pleased with his team’s performance.
Pirates had set the stage for their success with a 1-1 draw in the first leg of the semi-final in Cape Town, putting themselves in a favorable position to finish the job at home. Orlando Stadium, known for its electrifying atmosphere, provided the perfect backdrop for the Buccaneers to secure their spot in the final.
“We are so happy to have the fans here because it’s an extra boost, it’s helping a lot,” Riveiro acknowledged.
Reflecting on his early days with the team, Riveiro remarked, “In 2022 when I started here, I was a bit surprised by the influence of the people in our stadium, knowing the amount of fans we have. But now we know what they want. We try to give it [to them] all the time. We must give our all in every game. We are always able to offer good football, winning or not.”
Despite the home advantage, Cape Town City proved to be a formidable opponents, challenging Pirates until the first goal shifted the momentum. From that point, the Buccaneers took control, dictating the tempo and securing their win.
“The beginning of the game was very tactical. Little by little, we started to impose our tempo. We got the first goal, took the lead, and from then on, we felt a little more comfortable,” Riveiro explained.
As the defending champions, Pirates look well on course to win this coveted cup three times in a row, further exerting their dominance in South African football in cup competitions.
Pirates will now await the winner of the second semi-final match between Mamelodi Sundowns and Stellenbosch FC, which is taking place at the Mabhida Stadium in Durban on Sunday (15:00).