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Riveiro's message to Pirates fringe players

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has revealed what made him happy about their win over Baroka in the Nedbank Cup.

Pirates booked their spot in the Nedbank Cup quarter-finals after thrashing Baroka 3-1 thanks to a hat-trick by Tshegofatso Mabasa.

Riveiro says the most difficult games are the ones people expect them to win.

READ | Mabasa helps Bucs advance to NBK Cup quarterfinals

"Not easy, it's a result everybody was expecting before the match, it's difficult to play games that everybody thinks you've won already before the game starts," Riveiro said on SuperSport.

"But it's not true, you have to work hard, you have to go through moments in the game that you're not comfortable, we didn't finish the game the way we wanted.

"But like I said before the match it's a good team Baroka, they have skilful players upfront, they can give you problems when you're defending. But again one more knockout for us, happy to be in the last eight."

Riveiro went on and said he was happy for players such Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, Karim Kimvuidi and Innocent Maela who got some game time.

"Obviously you have time to prepare a little bit more, we tried also in the last part of the game to refresh some of our players, we have two more games soon, we have Arrows, Cape Town City as well," the Spanish coach went on.

"We need more of our players coming to the party, they did well the ones that came from the bench, we need to believe that they are ready and ready to perform. In that sense it was a good day for us.

"It's not easy coming from a long period of absence, not being on the field, it takes time for them to get used to it again. So happy for Phillip (Ndlondlo), happy for Karim, Innocent, so overall it's a good day for Pirates."

Riveiro is yet to lose a game in the Nedbank Cup but did not want to praise himself.

"I don't speak about individuals, so I'm not going to do it about myself, a team that's winning is Pirates, a team breaking records is not the coach," the Spanish coach said.

"So we're together doing our best, to try to help the team improve our history together," Riveiro added.

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