Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has bemoaned the loss of defender Thabiso Sesane to injury who missed their humbling defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.
The Buccaneers missed out on the chance to narrow the gap on the Betway Premiership leaders after been handed a real football lesson as Masandawana ran out convincing 4-1 victors at a packed-to-rafters Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
Sesane, who has been spotted in crutches after being unable to recover after their 2-1 win over Sekhukhune United, is now Pirates’ third central defender to be ruled out with injury this season after Olisa Ndah and Tapelo Xoki, though the latter has since returned to action.
Riveiro admitted that losing Sesane was a setback though they will have to continue playing thier football regardless.
“We felt [the impact] because it wasn’t an easy situation for Thabiso, it didn’t look good at that moment,” Riveiro told the media.
“Let’s see what it is [injury]. I think the team managed to continue with the same game plan, not changing so many things.
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“That’s one of the strengths of this team. It doesn’t matter, but it matters who is playing in the team; the team finds its way to play our football.
The Spanish mentor was full of praise for Xoki despite the defender having to make such an unexpected entrance earlier on against Babina Noko.
“It’s not frequent that you have to change one of your centre-backs in the first stages of the game. It’s also difficult for Thapelo to come off the bench unexpectedly without time to activate himself. I think he did a good job,” concluded the Orlando Pirates tactician.
