Riveiro hints at more attacking approach from Pirates

More depth, a slicker implementation of their game and a hint of a more attacking approach in midfield are among factors in Orlando Pirates’ fired-up start to the season, according to coach Jose Riveiro.

The coach savoured what he said was the first time Pirates notched two wins in a row at the start of a league season since 2016 with their 3-0 Premier Soccer League (PSL) victory against Polokwane City on Tuesday.

Evidence Makgopa’s goals in the 85th and 91st minutes killed off the game. He was among a list of substitutes completed by Makhehlene Makhaula, Karim Kimvuidi and Nkosinathi Sibisi, who solidified Bucs’ push for victory in the second half after Monnapule Saleng gave them a 55th-minute lead.

Riveiro said the Pirates’ bench had come to the party, helping seal all four wins in a row in a punishing eight-day schedule that also saw Bucs beat Botswana’s Jwaneng Galaxy home and away to reach the Caf Champions League group stage and see off Chippa United in the PSL.

“I’m happy with the contribution from the bench again. It was crucial in Botswana, crucial against Chippa too to come back after they scored. It was crucial in the second game against Jwaneng and tonight it was exceptionally good,” he said.

“The people coming off the bench are showing they are ready to die for the team even if they get a minute and that’s very good news for all of us. Evidence — the same as Karim, Sibisi — everyone involved is performing at the level we need in those moments of the game.”

Riveiro has had much to be pleased about at the start of the campaign, where Pirates have won seven and drawn two of nine league and cup games, to reach the MTN8 final.

He stressed two wins in the league are too few to confirm Bucs have put their early-season jitters of the past behind them.

It was put to Riveiro that when his side battled to put away smaller sides last campaign he was criticised for fielding two defensive midfielders, and that a system such as Tuesday’s fielding Thalente Mbatha deeper and Kabelo Dlamini as a No 10 seems to have worked out.

“First, the concept of a defensive midfielder for me is not in my [orbit] — every midfielder is defensive when we don’t have the ball,” Riveiro responded.

“But I understand what you are saying. I think it’s more about the conditions and profile of the players who are on the field.

“What we try to do all the time is be a team that is balanced in every phase of the game. It’s easy to have the temptation when you manage a squad like ours to put your hopes only in the talent and capacity to play forward, the technical skill. You need balance, too.

“The performances and [statistics] we are providing now are helpful to confirm we are working in the right way. But for someone who didn’t watch our games recently but is checking their phone, and they see Pirates won 3-0 at home, they probably will think it was an easy game, we are playing fantastically and we are going to win everything this season.

“We know how difficult it is, how much we need to understand that the victories are coming because we are working so hard.”