Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro says it is “not that bad as everyone thinks” as they dropped valuable points after they were held to a goalless draw by Richards Bay in the DStv Premiership match at King Zwelithini Stadium on Saturday.
The Soweto Giants were toothless, especially in the first half, and barely tested Jackson Mabokgwane in Bay goals.
To their standards that is expected of them to challenge Mamelodi Sundowns at the top, but this was not, and the coach was aware of that, lamenting the start in the match it was not the fast start they wanted.
It was not a fast start to the Soweto Derby against Kaizer Chiefs before the international break, with Evidence Makgopa scoring early in that game.
As the game wore on in Durban, Pirates looked to be out of ideas and that frustrated them, and Bay had already read the script.
“No, I don’t discuss the schedule,” said Riveiro, when asked if FIFA break broke their momentum as they also beat Sekhukhune United before Chiefs.
“The schedule is what it is for everyone. We won the last two games and today we drew away. Seven points out of nine, playing in the Derby, playing away against Richards Bay, it’s not that bad.
“Now if we keep talking about the beginning of the season (when we were doing well), we have now dropped the points against AmaZulu recently, against Polokwane City. Those points are not pushing us a bit higher on the log. But at the moment the team is good.
“Seven points out of nine (it’s not bad). In the recent games, it was not a good period in terms of results, we cannot say that the number of points is enough, not at all – but the team is playing well.”
What hampered Pirates more is that they played against Bay without natural full-backs – with a back three of Olisah Ndah and Thapelo Xoki along with Deon Hotto.
Fortune Makaringe, who was making his first start this season, according to his coach, was playing as a right back. But the team sheet said otherwise as he was in the front three with Evidence Makgopa and Relebogile Mofokeng.
Vincent Pule, another player making his first start this season, was a wingback. But he struggled to keep up with the pace and the humidity in Durban.
“We came here without full-backs – Hotto on the left and Makaringe on the right side,” said Riveiro.
“We tried to do our best, but the team is still competing, offering a good game every time we moved to the field, so there is nothing wrong, it is just (we have to) start the game better and that is important for me. I don’t worry about the goals, I’m more concerned about the way we start the game. That for me is not the right way.”
Pirates, who dropped to eight, will have nothing to worry about this coming weekend as they are out of the Carling Knockout quarterfinals after they were dumped out by the same Richards Bay. They will host Moroka Swallows at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday next week.
