Orlando Pirates‘ departing head coach, Jose Riveiro, has acknowledged his achievement of matching a significant Soweto Derby record held by former Kaizer Chiefs boss Stuart Baxter, following the Buccaneers’ hard-fought 2-1 victory over their Soweto neighbors at FNB Stadium on Saturday afternoon.
This latest triumph marked Riveiro’s fifth derby win against Kaizer Chiefs, placing him alongside Baxter as the only two coaches to have achieved this milestone in the fiercely contested Soweto Derby.
Evidence Makgopa’s equalizer and Relebohile Mofokeng’s decisive second-half goal secured the comeback victory for Pirates, completing a league double over Amakhosi in the process.
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Adding to his impressive derby record, the understated Spanish coach, who is set to leave the Buccaneers at the conclusion of the current season, has also etched his name in the derby’s history books by becoming the first coach in the PSL era to secure five consecutive league victories against Kaizer Chiefs.
Furthermore, this achievement marks him as the first coach in PSL history to complete a league double over Chiefs in two successive seasons.
In more ways than one, Jose Riveiro has undeniably ushered in a new era of derby dominance for Orlando Pirates, boasting an impressive record of five wins and only two defeats in his seven encounters against Amakhosi.
Meanwhile, Kaizer Chiefs’ last taste of derby success came in February 2023 under the guidance of Arthur Zwane, which brought an end to their own notable five-game winning streak against Pirates, achieved across the tenures of Gavin Hunt, Stuart Baxter, and Zwane.
Riveiro Eyes Further Derby Glory in Nedbank Cup Final
With five derby victories under his belt, Jose Riveiro now has the opportunity to surpass Stuart Baxter’s overall derby win record before his chapter with Orlando Pirates comes to a close.
To achieve this, he will need to guide Orlando Pirates to successfully defend their Nedbank Cup title when they face Kaizer Chiefs once again in the final at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, May 10th.
While acknowledging the significance of his five Soweto Derby wins against Chiefs, Riveiro emphasized that his primary focus remains firmly on the upcoming Nedbank Cup final against the same opponents, rather than dwelling on personal accolades.
Reflecting on his journey and his initial derby experience, Riveiro credited Orlando Pirates’ overall performance as the cornerstone of their success in these high-stakes encounters.
“That’s good [to win five games in a row in the Soweto Derby], definitely,” Riveiro remarked.
“But there is still one more to play and hopefully [we win it]. So now the target is not because of my record, obviously, actually I think [it is about the team].”
He also recalled his first derby experience, highlighting the team’s progress: “I think three years ago, after my first derby here [FNB Stadium], the first question coming from my left was something like ‘congratulations, you are the first Spanish coach to lose one game at FNB’ and now we’re sitting here with five victories, so I’m happy with the performance of the players.”
Despite the derby day victory, Riveiro and his Orlando Pirates squad face a quick turnaround as they are scheduled for midweek Betway Premiership action.
The Mighty Buccaneers will travel to Durban to face Golden Arrows at the iconic Moses Mabhida Stadium, with kickoff set for 19h30 on Tuesday, 6 May 2025.