Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro says they have made major progress as a group as the same performance against Magesi would likely not have secured a win last season.
Pirates beat Magesi 1-0 at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium with Relebohile Mofokeng finding the net shortly after the red card for Lehlonohlo Mokone.
It proved a rather scrappy affair while Wonderboy Makhubu missed a penalty for the hosts with the last kick of the first half and showed plenty of fight to offer glimpses of hope to equalise in the second half, but it wasn’t to be.
Pirates move three points from Mamelodi Sundowns, with a game in hand over the champions with their latest grinded three points.
“The most important thing is usually the result and today was really difficult circumstances to play football for both teams, not only for Pirates, let’s be fair, and due to that, probably not our best game, not the best entertainment we could give the fans,” Riveiro said.
“They came here in numbers to support the team. But I’m happy that we managed [to keep a clean sheet] and a good performance in the first half to take three points, to keep pushing, keep running, keep fighting.
“[It’s] just one way to close an exceptional 2024 for the club, this team, this group with one victory. Last year with the same game, same performance, we could finish this game with a 1-1 or even worse, so the team is competing very well.”
Pirates now turn their attention back to the CAF Champions League where they host Stade d’Abijan in Soweto next week.
