Mihlali Baleka
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is laying a solid foundation at the club.
As such, he’s not fazed by breaking records following an impressive start to their Betway Premiership season. Pirates have started the season on an excellent note, winning all five league games so far and making serious strides in their pursuit of the Premiership title.
While this glowing start can be credited to the entire team, flashes of individual brilliance from some players have certainly shone through. One standout performer has been teenager Mohau Nkota, who was named Player of the Match in the 2-1 victory over AmaZulu at Orlando Stadium on Friday night, repaying the faith shown in him by the Spain-born coach.
Nkota, 19, was making only his second start of the season and his fourth appearance overall across all competitions. His emergence has also taken some pressure off Relebohile Mofokeng. After making his debut two seasons ago, Mofokeng, also 19, became integral to the team as he was the match-winner for Pirates in the last two finals — the Nedbank Cup and MTN8, respectively.
However, with the league resembling a marathon, Pirates players must share responsibilities. Riveiro remains unperturbed by the chase for records at this early stage, instead choosing to focus on the matches ahead. The Sea Robbers are set to visit TS Galaxy in their next league clash in Mbombela tomorrow night at 7:30 pm, and Riveiro considers this their next big game, not the five they have already won.
FT☠️ || @orlandopirates 2 v 1 @AmaZuluFootball
🎙️Mohau Nkota
🏆#BetwayPrem
🗓️ 25 October 2024
🏟️ Orlando Stadium
⚫️⚪️🔴⭐️#OrlandoPirates #OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/QSYaQwy4kS
“The coach wants to win every game,” Riveiro said. “But it’s not because the coach wants to establish a certain record.
“Those are things that happen when you are not coaching anymore and you are out of this business. You want to look back and realise that you got some important things.
“Right now, the only thing that matters is that we play again (tomorrow) against TS Galaxy. It’s another three points to play for. It’s going to be a tough one.
“If we are to get another one, we need to rest and prepare. We’ll check the numbers at the end of the season to see if what we are doing right now is good enough to achieve what we want.”
Despite their impressive start, Pirates' Achilles heel this season has been their defence, with goalkeeper and No 1 Sipho Chaine struggling to keep clean sheets consistently, conceding eight goals in 14 matches. Chaine also had a tough outing in the Carling Knockout cup, conceding three goals in a span of 12 minutes during the 3-2 loss to Magesi FC in the opening round.
“We managed to create good chances due to our pressing,” Riveiro noted.
“The intention was to make the space small for the opponent to feel comfortable from early on. We are not happy with the goals that we conceded. We are fighting hard to keep clean sheets.
“If we keep a clean sheet, we know that we have a lot of talent up front. Defensive work is probably the reason why we are not in the next round of the Carling (Knockout) cup. We probably need to be unselfish in the defensive phase.”
Despite their struggles in defence, the Ghost have shown unwavering support for the team this season, although attendance has dwindled in recent games. Riveiro emphasised the importance of having the fans behind the team, especially given their congested schedule that includes matches in the CAF Champions League group stage.
“If it’s not the most important thing, then I still rank it as one of the most important things,” he said.
“You come home, and the people are happy and cheering you on; then you don’t feel the fatigue. So for us, especially in this tough time and congested period, having people around and 100% behind us helps a lot.
“Right now, there’s no doubt or hesitation from the supporters. It doesn’t matter how the game is going, but they are always behind us.
“Their support is going to be crucial this season. Sometimes, they don’t have time to express themselves in that opportunity, but for them, it’s important to feel that support in our game.”