Riveiro explains how Orlando Pirates recovered to beat Kaizer Chiefs

Photo Credit - Orlando Pirates Media.

Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has revealed the tactics he deployed to help recover and gun down Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in a Betway Premiership Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.

Amakhosi took an early lead with only two minutes played when Makabi Lilepo found the target but Evidence Makgopa levelled matters fore Pirates in the 24th minute. However, Relebohile Mofokeng combined with Deon Hotto to seal the win for Pirates.

“A really good football game, we showed emotions in the first minute, almost until the last one, without fouls. Slow beginning of the game from our side, Chiefs got the lead very early and they also had a couple of good chances,” Riveiro said as quoted by SABC Sports.

"But little by little we started to get a little bit of control, territorial control not creating so much, but little by little starting to get close to their goalkeeper.”

He continued: “Luckily, we managed to equalise, it was very important to neutralise the lead soon in the first half. I had a feeling that we finished the first half already better than Chiefs but still just before half-time they had a really good chance to get the lead again.

“The game could have changed in that moment as well but I think in the second half we were close to the football that we've been playing this season and that gave us the proper control, more chances created and the possibility to score a second goal in transitions and also against Chiefs, pressure to create at least three, four good chances to get a little bit more of an advantage.

“And defending I think, defending very well. I don't remember any intervention from Chaine in the last part of the game, with Chiefs chasing that one goal that means that we were defending solid, well.”

While the defeat left Chiefs ninth on the 16-team league table with 30 points from 26 matches, the victory saw Pirates reach 49 points and remained second on the log.