Orlando Pirates head Jose Riveiro has revealed that he was not surprised by Mamelodi Sundowns' shock 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
Image: Ayanda Ndamane / Independent Newspapers
Orlando Pirates head Jose Riveiro has revealed that he was not surprised by Mamelodi Sundowns' shock 1-0 loss to TS Galaxy at the Mbombela Stadium on Tuesday.
The Tshwane giants' loss against the Rockets came as a huge shock to many South African football fans, particularly after their impressive 4-1 win against the Buccaneers at Loftus Versfeld Stadium.
However, while Masandwana's defeat in Mbombela came as a shock to many, Riveiro has surprisingly stated that he was not shocked by the outcome of the match.
“The league is a marathon, it’s 30 games, I will say a couple of topics of football, but it’s the truth – there are good teams right now, teams in good moments of form, for example, what happened the other day with Galaxy and Sundowns, for me, it’s not a surprise," the Spanish tactician said, according to IdikiTimes.
Riveiro highlighted that currently the league boasts numerous quality teams capable of delivering results, noting that facing Galaxy at home was a daunting task.
The Mpumalanga-based club had a sluggish start to the season but have since reversed their fortunes, currently riding a 13-match unbeaten streak which has seen them rise to fourth on the log table with 25 points from 17 outings.
"We all know how difficult it is to go to Mbombela, I think Galaxy last season was the best in home matches after Sundowns, if I’m not mistaken, it’s the same, playing games every, two, three days – teams like us, like Sundowns.
“So having a bad day is normal, human, it’s acceptable and that’s the competition itself. Every time we play away, all the big teams, fighting for this trophy, must feel that pressure when playing away from home.
“I think having Galaxy in that form, Sekhukhune as well, it was a terrible game for us to play, Polokwane City, hopefully soon some other teams [can hit top form], it’s good for the league, competition and our football," he added.
IOL Sport