Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro FILE - Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro. Photo: Phill Magakoe/AFP
Orlando Pirates will have it all to do in the second leg of their CAF Champions League first preliminary round after Sunday’s game against Malagasy side Disciples FC ended goalless.
Speaking after the match, Pirates head coach Jose RIveiro looked on the positive side as the game could have gone anyway.
"I think both sides had very clear chances and, strangely, we finished the game goalless,“ the Spaniard told his club’s media after the game.
“We could not manage to capitalise ours to get a goal advantage at least to go into the second leg with an advantage.
"But we didn't concede it is also important and in less than one week, we have to finalise this in Orlando and we know that it is not going to be easy like I said because they are a good team and we have to do everything to impose ourselves."
Pirates will again get another crack at it when they host Disciples at Orlando Stadium this coming weekend. A win will take them a step closer to the group stages of the Champions League.
In the CAF Confederation Cup, Cape Winelands side Stellenbosch FC began their campaign with an impressive 3-0 win over Nsingizini Hotspurs from Eswatini.
Reacting after the game, Stellies head coach Steve Barker was pleased with how his side had begun their continental challenge following the departures of Iqraam Rayners and Deano van Rooyen, who joined Mamelodi Sundowns and Pirates respectively.
“I thought that we started the game well, I thought we had good control, especially the first 45 minutes. We moved the ball around well, we were patient in our build up, we played with a lot of confidence, a lot of good movement,” Barker was quoted by Supersport..
“As we expected, our opposition were well drilled in terms of their defensive structure, and it did make it difficult for us to create chances. But the key was to remain patient. The key was to just keep probing and hopefully something would happen. And then, as it was, through good open play and good football, we actually scored our goals from more messy situations. But sometimes you get rewarded for the pressure that you put on the opposition, that eventually something comes from it.”
IOL Sport