Nedbank Cup: ‘Orlando Pirates’ opportunity to defend title’ – Riveiro ahead of Richards Bay clash

Photo Courtesy Orlando Pirates Media.

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro believes they have another opportunity to defend the Nedbank Cup title when they face fellow Betway Premiership side Richards Bay in the Round of 32 fixture on Sunday.

Pirates will face Richards Bay at King Zwelithini Stadium seeking to defend the title they won last season after beating bitter rivals Mamelodi Sundowns in the final.

“We are playing against a very good team but at the same time we are very happy we are starting our title defense in the domestic Cup and we have nice memories of this competition from two seasons ago as everybody knows,” Riveiro told Pan-Africa Football.

“We have a very difficult task ahead of us to defend the title one more time but at the same time it is something nice to have the opportunity to defend the title every season and we will try our best and I understand it is a Cup game and we will play our normal game and need to be at our best as usual to succeed.”

However, Riveiro will be forced to navigate the fixture minus defender Nkosinathi Sibisi and Thabiso Monyane. A statement from the club confirmed the unavailability of the players by saying: “Bucs head coach Riveiro will be forced to do a bit of shuffling at the back, due to the unavailability of defender Nkosinathi [Sibisi]. The 29-year-old is suspended for the fixture after picking up his fourth yellow card for the season in Cape Town.

“Pirates will also be without Thabiso [Monyane], who is recovering from a hamstring injury picked up in the same fixture. A few more players are on the mend however, with Olisa Ndah and Goodman Mosele among those primed for a return in the near future.”

The game against the Natal Rich Boyz arrives after a run of consecutive victories against CR Belouizdad of Algeria and Egyptian giants Al Ahly, while boasting four wins in their last five matches across competitions.

Their only defeat in this sequence was in their most recent domestic outing, which was a league game away to Cape Town City which finished 1-0 in favour of the hosts.