Jose Riveiro on Pirates’ Soweto Derby Win: ‘This Victory is Massive for Our Title Push’

by Nyiko Maluleke

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Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro believes their 1-0 win over Kaizer Chiefs in the Soweto derby is a key moment in their Betway Premiership title race. The victory, secured by Patrick Maswanganyi’s last-minute penalty, has brought Pirates to within three points of log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns.

Riveiro emphasized the importance of not dropping points as they push for the title. “Any team aiming to be a contender in the PSL knows you can’t afford to give away too many points. Even though we were at FNB, it felt like a home game for us. Our home games will be crucial in this race,” he said.

He continued, “This win is huge emotionally, it boosts our confidence and energy, but we now focus on the next game in Polokwane. The prize is the same—three points, and that’s massive.”

The win has also put Pirates nine points clear of fifth-placed Chiefs, who have played three more games. Riveiro has now won four consecutive Soweto Derbies, but he sees this victory as especially important in the context of the league title chase.

“I think the result was fair, reflecting both teams’ performances. It wasn’t a dominant 5-0 win, but Pirates were the better side overall. It felt like a 0-0 game before the penalty. I didn’t see the penalty clearly, but from the bench, it seemed like there were two penalty situations—one from the defender and one from the goalkeeper. Anyway, if we want to be title contenders in the PSL, we need to aim for over 70 points, maybe 72,” Riveiro concluded.

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