Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has explained why he feels penalty shootouts are not a lottery anymore, as that’s a part of the game that one can plan for and prevent.
Riveiro said this ahead of the sold-out Nedbank Cup final against Mamelodi Sundowns at Mbombela Stadium. This is the sides’ second cup final meeting this season, having met in the decider of the MTN8 in Durban. Pirates emerged 3-1 victors in spot kicks on that occasion.
Sipho Chaine pulled off a Man-of-the-Match performance in that final, saving three penalties. Since that game, Sundowns’ number one Ronwen Williams has proven to be the king of penalties saver with his club and on the international stage with Bafana Bafana.
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Riveiro says Pirates have been preparing for any possible scenario including a penalty shoot-out in training this week.
“Well, like I said before, it is one of the games that can be played and if nobody manages to win the match during the game time, it is one of those possible scenarios in a final,” Riveiro said in his pre-match press conference.
“So as usual we try to prevent it, to have that experience during the week with the takers, with the ones that are probably going to be in the poles, having that responsibility. It’s also part of the dynamic within the group within the technical staff to analyse everything.
“In the past we used to say that it is a lottery but I think it’s not a lottery anymore. It’s one of the scenarios that you can prevent in advance, that you can train, that you can coach, advise and on the day I think that the preview work that you do during the week is going to play a big role in that situation.”
Riveiro also discussed the heroics of Williams, who has saved multiple penalties for Sundowns, and with Bafana throughout the season.
“And what can I say about Ronwen, about the performance of Chaine the last time that he was in that situation? Like you said, Ronwen during the season he as showing the level that he has in his goalkeeping, it is something remarkable, of course,” he concluded.
Kick-off time for the final is 15:00 on Saturday.
