Pirates will respect Al Ahly, but will give their all
Jose Riveiro cut a cautious figure on the eve of his, arguably, biggest test as the Orlando Pirates coach deep in the bowels of Orlando Stadium, Soweto, yesterday.
Pirates will host the African Club of the Century Al Ahly in the Caf Champions League group stage match in a sold-out Orlando today at 3pm.
And having Al Ahly failed to return home with wins from Orlando in 2013, drawing 0-0 and 1-1 in the first leg of the group stage and final , they’ll want to change that today.
However, that’s easier said than done. Riveiro will also want to ensure that the Egyptians' struggles continue in the country’s biggest township, something that would please the Ghost and masses.
The discerning Ghost will hope that Riveiro and his men beat the Red Devils to not only to get their second successive win in the group, but to avenge from that 2013 final.
After impressively holding the Egyptians to a draw in the first leg at home, Al Ahly stopped Pirates from adding a second star above their crest as they beat them 2-0 in the reverse leg in Cairo.
Riveiro was modest about their approach in the latter part of his media address yesterday though - the five-time domestic cup winning trophy with Pirates said they’ll play the game, not the occasion.
“I am a very pragmatic person so I am focusing on the way I can help my players – I don’t really think about the occasion,” Riveiro explained.
“But obviously, we are talking about a huge club which has a brilliant history especially in this competition. It’s something that we respect.
“So that’s the complexity of the task: it’s an opponent that is not only for the players to know how they’ll find answers on the field, but for us the coaching to (analyse them better).
“They are a team that will be asking questions that are not always easy to answer but we need to be prepared to answer those ones and try to help our players tomorrow (today).”
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Pirates are pumped up for the game which is expected to be sought-after across the continent. Hence, they’ll not fix anything not broken.
“They must (be mentally sharp),” Riveiro declared. “We are playing for Orlando Pirates, and we’ve been fighting so hard to have the opportunity to play in these kinds of games.
“It’s an opportunity for all of us to show what they are made of – the ambition and football that they have. Tomorrow (today) is an opportunity, and we must take it.
“Results are not under control in football, you can be the better team and still lose the game, and we are tired of seeing those types of games.
“But we must make sure that they can develop a good performance and be the same because that is the only way we can beat the opponent: when we are ourselves.
“Tomorrow (today) is not going to be exceptional. You are going to see the kind of Pirates that people want to see, and as a group as well.”
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Pirates have had an excellent start to life in the group stage. They beat Algerian giants CR Belouizdad 2-1 away from home in their first group stage match.
And while that was accompanied by their first loss in the Betway Premiership to Stellenbosch on Sunday, ending their seven-game perfect start, the Ghost continued to rally behind them.
So it is for that reason that Riveiro believes their 12th man will steer them to a win over Al Ahly, instead of the sunny Johannesburg weather which is set to be hostile for the north Africans.
“We want to start well at home, compete and make sure that for the rest of the season, especially in this competition when we play at home, we have an extra which are the people,” Riveiro said.
“And these people will be coming to support us, and not the heat. The trust we are getting from the stands in every scenario is huge.”