Orlando Pirates mentor Riveiro speaks out after dramatic CAF Champions League exit.
The Bucs coach wore his emotions on his sleeve after his side’s cruel 3-2 loss to Pyramids FC, ending their hopes of reaching the CAF Champions League final for the first time since 2013.
Pirates twice seized the lead through rising stars Relebohile Mofokeng and Mohau Nkota, but Pyramids struck back almost immediately after each goal, refusing to let Pirates gain a foothold.
In a devastating blow, Fiston Mayele found the back of the net just six minutes from full-time, sending Pirates crashing out of the tournament after what had been a near-perfect campaign.
Jose Riveiro proud despite cruel defeat
“Congrats to Pyramids for going to the final,” Riveiro said during the post-match press conference, as quoted by iDiski Times.
“Second, also congratulations to our players, to our group for the fantastic performance that they gave us and to all of our fans.”
He emphasized the remarkable consistency his team showed throughout the tournament.
“I think this season has been second to none. We are out of the competition today after losing our first match in the whole tournament.”
Riveiro didn’t shy away from calling the defeat a tough pill to swallow.
“A tough one to swallow, to digest. We’ll need a little bit of time because I think it’s a very cruel result. I think we played a really good game, top performance away from home against an excellent team.”
Critical moments cost Pirates their dream
While Pirates impressed with their overall display, Riveiro pointed to two critical moments that turned the tide.
“We couldn’t manage to control two moments of the game where we got the lead for two times and they managed to equalise almost immediately after our goals. That was probably the key,” he reflected.
He added that stretching their lead might have unsettled Pyramids, changing the outcome.
“We couldn’t be leading the game a little bit longer, to create a little bit more uncertainty to the opponent, and in the end of the game when the game was about to die, one set-play, well-executed, takes them to the final.”
Pirates shift focus to domestic battles
Although the Champions League journey ended in heartbreak, Riveiro encouraged his team to hold their heads high.
“It’s a mix of pride and sadness at the same time. We’re getting out of the competition but we do it in a good way, but in a way that we have to be proud of ourselves.”
Now, Orlando Pirates must quickly regroup. They turn their attention to domestic action, starting with a crucial match against Sekhukhune United on 30 April, followed by back-to-back Soweto Derbies against their fierce rivals, Kaizer Chiefs
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