Riveiro’s dominance rewarded by the PSL

Orlando Pirates’ coach Jose Riveiro stood head and shoulders above his peers over the last few months, winning all seven opening games in the Betway Premiership.

The Spaniard was duly honoured by PSL for his exploits yesterday, as he walked away with the Coach of the Month award for September and October. Riveiro beat his Mamelodi Sundowns and Polokwane City counterparts, Manqoba Mngqithi and Phuti Mohafe, respectively, for the award, as that duo failed to keep their flawless starts to their campaigns.

🏆 @orlandopirates’ coach Jose Riveiro wins the #BetwayPrem Coach of the Month Award for September/October. pic.twitter.com/mkGSn0amMW

— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) November 11, 2024

Such has been Pirates’ gallant start to the season, they’ve already smashed a record en route to the the top of the league standings. Riveiro’s flawless run saw them equal a 22-year-old record, which was set by coach Roy Barreto during the 2002/03 season.

This achievement could turn out to be a good omen, given that Barreto’s team went on to win the Premiership that season. Riveiro, now in his third season with the Bucs, has created some good moments with his team in the last two campaigns, winning five trophies out of six, including a ‘three-peat’ in the MTN8. But having already won a trophy this season, expectations are mounting on the Spaniard and his technical team to deliver the coveted league title to their cabinet.

So far, so good – Pirates are sitting pretty at the summit of the table with a full 21 points. The Sea Robbers recently cruised to victory in the Premiership last week as they beat Richards Bay 1-0 courtesy of Evidence Makgopa’s solo goal.

Four goals ⚽
Two assists 🅰@Masandawana's Lucas Ribeiro is the #BetwayPrem Player of the Month for September/October pic.twitter.com/6oJHHsjwII

— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) November 11, 2024

Makgopa has been impressive since the start of the season, as he’s leading the scoring charts in the league with Sundowns’ counterpart Lucas Ribeiro with four goals apiece. Ribeiro, though, was outstanding for Sundowns in the last two months, scoring four goals and registering two assists. Hence, he was voted the Player of the Month.

His coronation wasn’t without tight competition, though. Pirates’ Deon Hotto, Relebohile Mofokeng and Sipho Chaine were also on the list of nominees for his award. The trio might be disappointed with the fact that neither of them was able to beat Ribeiro to the award, but they need to look at their nomination as motivation.

Fawaaz Basadien's long-range strike in the Cape Derby for @StellenboschFC is the September Goal of the Month in the #BetwayPrem pic.twitter.com/cUvNmNiLes

— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) November 11, 2024

Chaine has been in fine form between the sticks, conceding only two goals during the month of September and October and recently kept clean sheets in the last two games against the Rich Boyz and before that TS Galaxy. His performances didn’t go unnoticed either. He’s back in the Bafana Bafana setup for the upcoming Afcon qualifiers away to Uganda and at home to South Sudan later this week.

Attackers Makgopa and Mofokeng are also in the Bafana squad. A feat that speaks volumes of how clinical Pirates have been up front, scoring 11 league goals in September and October. But while goalkeepers and strikers usually receive the plaudits, it takes a lot of hard work for midfielders to outshine them.

Defender-cum-midfielder Hotto has been one of the most hard-working players in the Pirates set-up, wearing his heart on his sleeve when on the pitch. Hotto, who’s away with Namibia this week, has emphasised that he’ll always play wherever the coach deploys him.

Meanwhile, Fawaaz Basadien scooped the Goal of the Month award for the long-range strike he scored in the 3-0 win over neighbours Cape Town City in the iKapa derby.