Riveiro wary of Stellies in their backyard

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is disconcerted by his rather unimpressive away record against Stellenbosch as the teams meet in the league at Athlone Stadium on Tuesday (7.30pm).

Riveiro is yet to beat Stellenbosch in the Mother City in the league since he arrived at Pirates in July 2022. In the 2022/23 season, Riveiro drew 1-1 against Stellies in the away round of the league. Last season, Stellies beat Pirates 1-0 in their backyard in the league.

“Tough opponents again ... another game away from home. We have a busy month on the road. I think during my term here [at Pirates], we haven’t managed to beat Stellenbosch in the league in Cape Town, we have beaten them once in the MTN8 [1-2 in the first leg of the MTN8 semifinals in September 2023],'' said Riveiro.

The Pirates coach expects a physical and tactically demanding battle. Stellenbosch will have to soldier on without their suspended first-choice goalkeeper Sage Stephens and key centre-back Ismaël Toure. The pair picked up their fourth yellow cards in their dramatic 3-1 Nedbank Cup quarterfinal defeat to Kaizer Chiefs at Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium on Saturday, triggering a one-match ban each.

“We know they’re a difficult team to play against, excellent players and a really good coaching staff. We know it’s going to be a tough one physically and tactically,'' said the Pirates coach

Fifa Puskás award nominee Oscarine Masuluke is expected to start in goal in Stephens absence, while Brian Onyango is odds-on to partner Thabo Moloisane at the heart of defence to fill in for Toure.

Meanwhile, Pirates will welcome back instrumental centre-back Nkosinathi Sibisi after missing their last game, the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal penalty shoot-out win over SuperSport United in Polokwane at the weekend, through suspension.

Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi wants his team to replicate the type of character they showed in the weekend’s quarterfinal win over Stellenbosch when they host Cape Town City in the league, insisting they must bring a “cup final spirit” in every game now.

Chiefs host City at FNB Stadium on Wednesday (7.30pm). The Citizens stunned Chiefs 1-0 in the first round of the league in what was their interim coach Muhsin Ertuğral’s first game in charge in January in the Mother City.

Nabi appears to be still harbouring a grudge against the Turk for “beating” him. “We’ve closed the chapter of the cup win and we now open the league chapter. This league game [against City] is important. I want the same spirit like the last game from my players; first, because City are a good team, forget their last few games where they’ve been struggling to win,'' Nabi said.

“Second, Muhsin Ertuğral beat me in Cape Town. Kaizer Chiefs need the points, so we have to play every game with a cup final spirit.''

City are winless in their past eight games with six defeats and two draws across all competitions. City’s last win was in January, beating Richards Bay 2-1 at home.

Having beaten Magesi and Stellenbosch in the league and Nedbank Cup in their past two games, Chiefs will be eager to do something they have never done this season... winning three games in a row.

Fixtures

Tuesday: Sundowns vs AmaZulu, Lucas Moripe (7.30pm); Stellenbosch vs Pirates, Athlone (7.30pm); Galaxy vs SuperSport, Mbombela (7.30pm); Magesi vs Bay, Seshego (7.30pm)

Wednesday: Chiefs vs CPT City, FNB (7.30pm); Polokwane vs Arrows, Old Peter Mokaba; Gallants vs Sekhukhune, Seisa Ramabodu (7.30pm)

Friday: AmaZulu vs Galaxy, Moses Mabhida (7.30pm)

Saturday: Magesi vs Arrows, Seshego (3.30pm); CPT City vs Gallants, Athlone (3.30pm); Chippa vs Polokwane, Buffalo City Municipality (8pm) 

Sunday: Bay vs Chiefs, King Zwelithini (3.30pm); Pirates vs Sundowns, FNB (3.30pm); Sekhukhune vs Stellenbosch, Peter Mokaba (5.30pm)