Nedbank Cup: Orlando Pirates showed resilience in Gallants victory– Riveiro

Photo Credit - Orlando Pirates Football Club.

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro delivered a special message to his players after they secured a 1-0 win against Marumo Gallants to qualify for the final of the Nedbank Cup at Orlando Stadium on Sunday.

After a good start in the semi-final clash, the Buccaneers had to wait until the 22nd minute to score what turned out to be the winner. A through ball from Deano van Rooyen split the Gallants defence wide open, allowing Patrick Maswanganyi to whip in a deadly low cross, and Kabelo Dlamini was on hand to coolly slot it home.

“Congratulations first of all to the players, they did a huge effort this week. Playing three finals actually in the space of seven days in the league, Champions League and Nedbank games,” said Riveiro after the game.

“If we don’t get the result we’re out and they managed to show an interesting character, personality going through all the problems, fatigue, and pain whatever it takes players are finding the way to win the matches, today was one of those cases. I think we controlled the game very well, creating more than enough I think to score more than one goal especially with more spaces in the second half where Marumo has to get a little bit more open and more exposed. I think overall a good game, a good performance and fairly in the final.”

The outgoing Pirates coach added: “We have a lot of players ready to go that’s a good thing. That’s one thing I can feel optimistic about what’s coming because we have a big squad, a squad full of quality, we have a squad with experience and also with the desire to do something especially each and every season and this season is not an exception.

“So, today the players who came to the field Melusi, Paseka, Kabelo they did a good job everybody who came from the bench they did a good contribution. It’s a team and we try to do it as a team again so it’s a good new again. Its commitment, its feeling identified with what we doing as a team together. It’s wanting to help, it’s knowing that today for example we don’t have the possibility to play Thalente who has been playing in that position recently and Kabelo was a safe option because we know what he can gave us.”

Pirates will now face Kaizer Chiefs who beat Mamloedi Sundowns 2-1 in the other semi-final, in the final of the domestic competition at Moses Mabhida Stadium on 10 May.