Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro expressed bewilderment as his team succumbed to a shocking defeat against Stellenbosch FC, relinquishing a 2-0 lead within the final 20 minutes of the match on Friday
Pirates had asserted dominance, securing a 2-0 advantage with a first-half penalty from Tapelo Xoki and a subsequent goal by Evidence Makgopa in the second half. However, Stellenbosch executed a remarkable turnaround, netting three goals in eight minutes through Iqraam Rayners, Devon Titus, and Andre de Jong, ultimately claiming a 3-2 victory at Orlando Stadium under the guidance of manager Steve Barker in Friday evening’s DStv Premiership clash.
Riveiro, in a post-match interview with SuperSport TV, expressed his shock regarding the sudden loss of control by stating, “That’s the reality, nothing really happened, it was 2-0 after almost 70 minutes, I really need to analyse the actions isolated because suddenly we lost control.”
The Spanish coach emphasized the unacceptable nature of surrendering a two-goal lead at home, stating, “We totally lost control of the game. You cannot lose a match at home that you’re leading 2-0 after 70 minutes, there’s no excuses.”
Highlighting the need for introspection and correction, Riveiro acknowledged defensive lapses, citing, “The game was under control, we had a couple of accidents, one in the first goal is in the throw-in that we didn’t defend well again, I think one of the players lost the verticality in the box, they couldn’t clear the ball, a couple of wrong technical actions in the box.”
Expressing disappointment, Riveiro reiterated the importance of learning from the setback, “We need to analyse what happened, correct it and move on. We cannot just give the game away like we did in the last 20 minutes.”
The unexpected collapse raises concerns for Orlando Pirates as they aim to rectify their defensive vulnerabilities and regain composure in future encounters.
