Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro voiced his frustration with the state of the Loftus Versfeld pitch following his team’s crushing 4-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday.
The result was a bitter blow for the Buccaneers, who found themselves outclassed by the reigning champions in the highly anticipated top-of-the-table Betway Premiership clash.
The match began with Sundowns taking control early on, as Grant Kekana opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Lucas Ribeiro Costa doubled their advantage just 14 minutes later, leaving Pirates with a mountain to climb in the second half.
Despite their difficulties, the Pirates managed to pull a goal back in the 57th minute, courtesy of Deon Hotto. However, Sundowns quickly regained their two-goal lead, with Costa scoring his second of the game just two minutes later. Teboho Mokoena sealed the victory for the Brazilians with a goal in the 78th minute, putting the result beyond doubt.
The win was a significant one for Sundowns in their quest to retain the Premiership title, extending their lead at the top to nine points ahead of second-placed Pirates, although the Pretoria side has played one more match than their rivals.
While Riveiro acknowledged the result, he took the opportunity to highlight the challenges posed by the Loftus Versfeld pitch. He said in the Citizen: “Whatever I say about the pitch will be a big headline on social media tomorrow, and I don’t want to give you that chance to show that I’m justifying what happened on the field, because it was the same field for Sundowns as well.
“Remember what I said before; they managed to find a way to win the game despite the circumstances under which this game was played. Now you’re journalists, and you were here watching the game. At the same time, I’m sure Sundowns aren’t happy with the field, with the players they have, and the football they want to play.
“It was not an advantage for Sundowns, and it’s a pity that the game was played on this field because it’s not helping anyone – the game, the football, and the risk of injuries in every single action. There’s a high risk of injury for both teams.
“So please don’t, for a second, take this comment as me saying we lost because of the field. But it’s true that the game was played in very difficult conditions for both Sundowns and Pirates.”