Pirates coach Jose Riveiro during the MTN8 semi-final first leg Stellenbosch FC against Orlando Pirates at Athlone Stadium in Cape Town Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro was pleased to have grabbed a record seventh victory in a row, with their win over Richards Bay in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane/Independent Media
As Orlando Pirates notched up a number of records In Soweto on Tuesday with their 1-0 win over Richards Bay in the Betway Premiership, it seemed like business as usual for Buccaneers coach Jose Riveiro.
It was their seventh successive win to begin their league campaign, and the first time Pirates have won more than six games in a row in the PSL era.
Pirates have managed six wins in a row on six occasions, with Riveiro completing the feat twice.
It was also the 100th game in charge of Pirates for Riveiro.
Pirates coach José Riveiro reflects on their Betway Premiership win over Richards Bay. pic.twitter.com/z56rcyuDfG
— Mahlatse Mphahlele (@BraMahlatse) November 5, 2024
“It’s three more points, so we’re very happy,” said Riveiro.
Evidence Makgopa scored the only goal of the game in the 26th minute of the clash.
Despite the one strike deciding the contest, Pirates were the dominant side throughout. They had 68% possession, and had 18 shots at goal compared to the four of Richards Bay.
Pirates also strung together 571 passes, while Richards Bay could only manage 261.
Though the scoreline was not emphatic, their play certainly was and indicative of their lead at the top of the table. With their full haul of 21 points from seven games, Pirates hold a six-point lead over champions Mamelodi Sundowns who have played six matches.
Sundowns take on Polokwane City on Wednesday evening in Pretoria as they will look to close the gap on Pirates.
Still, sitting on their perch at the top of the table allowed Riveiro to pin-point where his side could improve as they were unable to score more goals against an opponent they dominated.
“We were forced into looking for a second or a third one. We tried to find a little bit of an advantage close to their box, but they recovered possession very quickly,” said Riveiro.
“Little by little, I think we managed to make them arrive slightly late. We did control the scenarios really well, but there were difficulties in defending the transitions. They have strong, powerful players so we were running and made defending our goal complicated.
“We had chances to put the game beyond our opponent in the second half but a lack of luck in the last third kept the game at 1-0. [The score] It was probably not a true reflection of our performance.”