Orlando Pirates coach reveals winning formula ahead of Soweto Derby.
Jose Riveiro has made it clear, his team is going into the Nedbank Cup final with one mission, to dominate Kaizer Chiefs. With South Africa’s football fans buzzing, the Derby is set to ignite once again this Saturday, 10 May at Moses Mabhida Stadium in Durban, marking their first cup final clash since 2014.
Soweto giants collide again at Moses Mabhida
The historic rivalry returns to the same venue where Chiefs edged Pirates 1-0 in the 2014 MTN8 final under Stuart Baxter. But this time, Riveiro’s Pirates are armed with momentum, and confidence. Just last weekend, they completed a league double over Amakhosi with a gritty 1-0 victory in the Betway Premiership.
Riveiro: ‘We’re not here to play the occasion’
Despite the emotional weight of the match, Riveiro emphasized a business-as-usual mindset. The Spanish tactician, who has guided Pirates to multiple finals since joining in 2022, stressed discipline and execution over emotion.
“It’s a pleasure and honour to be here, one more time, in the final representing Orlando Pirates,” Riveiro said during the club’s media open day on Thursday in Durban.
“It’s what we have been looking for since day one, when we started together. We worked hard enough to find ourselves regularly in almost every final since we started.”
He added that the team refuses to get swept up in the derby drama, focusing instead on the tactical blueprint that has brought them consistent success.
“We don’t want to play the occasion; we want to focus on the game plan and focus on the way that we can beat Chiefs, and also they can beat us, so that we can avoid it.”
‘We’re going to try to make Chiefs play badly’
Riveiro didn’t mince words when asked how Pirates plan to approach the game. His intention? To make Kaizer Chiefs look ordinary.
“We’re going to try to make the Chiefs play badly. That’s the intention on the day,” he said with resolve.
“We’ve done it already several times together, and we want to make sure that we are there again.”
With form, history, and a laser-focused coach on their side. The Buccaneers head into the weekend’s blockbuster final ready to claim silverware, and bragging rights. If Riveiro’s vision plays out, Kaizer Chiefs may face more than just a loss, they could suffer a masterclass in how to be dismantled on the biggest stage.
Stay tuned with The South African as Orlando Pirates coach reveals winning formula for Amakhosi.
Will Riveiro’s plan work against Nabi’s Glamour Boys?
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