Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro remains unwavering in his determination to address the team’s recent point losses in the DStv Premiership.
Despite a less than stellar run, he asserts that he’s well aware of the issues plaguing his side and is committed to quick resolutions.
The Buccaneers recently gathered just two points out of a potential six in back-to-back draws against AmaZulu FC and Polokwane City. This has left them trailing log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by a considerable 15-point margin.
“I cannot be concerned with the points. I can be concerned with something that we are not doing well and we need to correct it during the week,” Riveiro stated during a media briefing.
In their most recent match against Polokwane City, Patrick Maswanganyi managed to secure the lead for Pirates in the first half. However, Given Mashikinya equalized late in the second half, resulting in shared points.
Riveiro acknowledged their struggles in front of goal, saying, “We are not finding the goal as easy as we would like, and that’s a handicap. But I’m busy with the problems that we have to make sure that we solve them. If we continue having all these problems, then we are doing something wrong. I’m busy trying to help my players win games and score more goals, but I’m not concerned.”
Pirates are now winless in their last three league matches, with one loss and two draws. While this may concern some, it doesn’t seem to perturb the Spaniard coach. His focus remains on the upcoming clash against struggling Cape Town Spurs.
“We have to give the supporters hope by producing better performance. It is simple,” he emphasized. “What they want to see is the team fighting until the end. We did that against Polokwane City to get a result, but probably not in our best space about the way we wanted to play, but we move to the next one.”
The recent draw against Polokwane City continues their unbeaten streak, with Rise and Shine now having gone six matches across all competitions without a loss. Their last defeat was back in August when they faced Sundowns and suffered a 2-0 defeat.
Pirates are gearing up for their next DStv Premiership encounter, scheduled for this upcoming Wednesday evening, as they hit the road to face Cape Town Spurs at the DHL Cape Town Stadium.
Coach Riveiro’s unwavering spirit and commitment to improvement will undoubtedly be put to the test, as they aim to turn the tide in their favour.