Head coach Jose Riveiro has revealed a key factor behind Orlando Pirates' win against Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-final of the Nedbank Cup.
The Buccaneers sent Amakhosi crashing out of the Nedbank Cup with a 2-1 win in front of a sold-out FNB Stadium, thanks to goals from Kermit Erasmus and an extra-time winner from Sandile Mthethwa after Chiefs' Yusuf Maart had levelled the score in the second half.
In addition to extinguishing any hopes of silverware for Amakhosi this season, the Pirates' win also brought an end to a run of five consecutive defeats against their neighbours and fierce rivals.
Two of those defeats came in October last year and February this year respectively, and Riveiro has revealed why he believes this third encounter was different from the rest.
"I think until we managed to play with the rhythm that we wanted, I think we did things better than in the previous games. The way we approached this game mentally was totally different than in the previous ones," Riveiro said post-match.
"Before in the previous derbies, we were not in a good space. There were many things that affected us that I cannot say out loud that didn't allow us to be in the condition we would like to be in those games.
Kushubile ???Sandile Mthethwa towers to give Tse Ntsho the lead for the second time in the match with seven minutes left ??#NedbankCup pic.twitter.com/eS5ev24DVp
— SuperSport Football ?? (@SSFootball) May 6, 2023
"Today is different, what the team expressed yesterday in our minus one [Friday training session], today before the game in camp, it was different, we noticed that immediately.
"But also I think that we are progressing also, in order to be competitive in a scenario where we were not competitive before, like you said, in the previous derbies.
"It's not about the results, I think we didn't perform good enough [in the previous derbies], even though the results were really cruel with us in my opinion in the previous ones [derbies] and then [if] you come here today with that heavy stuff in your back that could be an obstacle.
"But in my opinion it was not, I didn't see the players think about what happened months ago, to be honest."
The Nedbank Cup final will be played at Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria on 27 May. Before that, Pirates turn their attention back to the DStv Premiership where they host Sekhukhune United next Saturday at Orlando Stadium.
You must be Sign In to post and read comments.
Click here to register: Sign In