Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro was surprised by the level of Venda Football Academy in the Nedbank Cup, as they gave the Buccaneers a run for their money before eventually succumbing to a late winner in extra time.
Riveiro was impressed by the tactical flexibility of the Motsepe Foundation Championship side and their bravery in taking on the Soweto giants. “The opponent surprised me a bit, I expected resistance but not the way they did it. They played different compared to the way they have been playing recently in their league,” the Spanish mentor said in a press conference.
Riveiro went on to explain that although Venda made them suffer, he was happy to see their bravery and believes the team will grow faster from those type of matches, where they are pushed to the limit.
“Even though I suffer but I’m glad to see the way they played, how brave they were. I take both games (as) part of our learning process,” he said. “I said to the guys (players) that I’m a very optimistic person, I think these types of games and struggles and fights are going to be the important part of our journey together.”
“Teams always grow quicker in difficult situations like what we experienced (against Venda). We as a group and the fans, understanding that it’s very difficult to win a football game, it’s a fact and we need to appreciate every victory,” he added.
The Buccaneers will resume their programme when they host rivals for second spot in the DStv Premiership, SuperSport United on Saturday.
