Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has revealed how he was not surprised by Mamelodi Sundowns’ loss to TS Galaxy in midweek.
Sundowns, coming from a 4-1 thrashing of title rivals Pirates, were riding high after winning 10 straight league matches, but were brought down to earth by a well-drilled Galaxy, who secured a 1-0 victory at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
The loss saw Sundowns miss an opportunity to open a 12-point lead at the top of the PSL table as they now remain on 42 from 16 matches, nine more than Pirates, but the Buccaneers have two games in hand that can see them close the gap to just three points if they win.
Riveiro says such results are bound to be witnessed not just because of the tight schedule but also due to the improvements made by other teams, such as Galaxy, who have now gone 12 PSL matches without defeat to move to fifth on the log.
What is giving Riveiro title hope?
“The league is a marathon, it’s 30 games, and I’m going give you a couple of topics about football, but it’s the truth. There are good teams now who are in a good moment of form,” said Riveiro, who believes the title race still has many twists and turns, told the media.
“For example, what happened the other day with Galaxy and Sundowns, for me it’s not a surprise because we all know how difficult it is to go to Mbombela Stadium. Even last season, I think Galaxy was the best team with home matches after Sundowns, if I’m not wrong.
“We are playing every two days. It’s the same with Sundowns, so having a bad day is something normal, human, and acceptable.”
Pirates turn their attention to defending their Nedbank Cup, with a Round of 16 tie against Baroka slated for Saturday, after which they will shift focus to the PSL with a trip to Golden Arrows on Wednesday before a home match against Cape Town City on the weekend.
