Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro FILE - Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has praised his side's fight against Magesi FC.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
Like a good middle-distance runner, Orlando Pirates find themselves in a great position to push in the second half of the Betway Premiership title race in the New Year.
The second-placed Pirates are just three points behind Mamelodi Sundowns with a game in hand following a 1-0 win over Magesi FC at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane on Sunday. Young star Relebohile Mofokeng scored the only goal of the game, as Pirates ended the year on a high.
Pirates are aiming to dethrone Sundowns, who have won the league for the past seven seasons in a row. The last time Pirates lifted the Premiership title was in the 2011-12 season.
Pirates coach Jose Riveiro admitted the win over Magesi wasn't their best performance of 2024, but was happy with the three points to "keep fighting" for the title.
“The most important thing is usually the result and Sunday was really difficult circumstances to play football for both teams, not only for Pirates, let’s be fair, and due to that, probably not our best game, not the best entertainment we could give the fans,” Riveiro said.
“They came here in numbers to support the team. But I’m happy that we managed [to keep a clean sheet] and a good performance in the first half to take three points, to keep pushing, keep running, keep fighting.
“[It’s] just one way to close an exceptional 2024 for the club, this team, this group with one victory. Last year with the same game, same performance, we could finish this game with a 1-1 or even worse, so the team is competing very well.”
Pirates are back in the action in the league on January 8 against Cape Town City FC. Before that, though, they host Stade d’Abijan in the CAF Champions League at Orlando Stadium on Saturday, January 4.
@JohnGoliath82