Orlando Pirates gave departing head coach Jose Riveiro a fitting farewell after thumping Golden Arrows 3-0 in their Betway Premiership encounter.
Orlando Pirates gave departing head coach Jose Riveiro a fitting farewell after thumping Golden Arrows 3-0 in their Betway Premiership encounter.
Tshegofatso Mabasa opened the scoring before second-half strikes by Bandile Shandu and Kabelo Dlamini sealed a comfortable victory for the hosts, who cemented their second place in the league standings.
The Soweto giants had already announced that this would be Riviero’s final game in charge after three years in the role, and he would be released early from the remainder of his contract.
The Spanish tactician has guided the Buccaneers to three MTN8 trophies and two Nedbank Cup titles in his three seasons in charge.
The Pirates players were evidently motivated to give the Spaniard a fitting farewell when Mabasa opened the scoring after 15 minutes.
It was good work down the left by the dynamic Relebohile Mofokeng, who danced around Arrows, before squaring to Mabasa, who applied the finish, before running straight to the Pirates bench to embrace Riveiro.
The home team doubled their lead on the hour mark when Shandu bundled the ball into the back of the net, after Arrows goalkeeper Ismail Watenga made a costly error.
Just five minutes later, it was 3-0 when Dlamini curled in a beautiful free-kick into the far corner that found Watenga wanting again.
That wrapped up a comfortable win and a fitting ending to Riveiro’s time in charge, as he leaves Pirates in a better place than when he arrived.
