Orlando Pirates coach José Riveiro must inspire his team to bounce back from a 4-1 drubbing at the hands of Mamelodi Sundowns when they face Baroka in the Nedbank Cup this weekend. Photo: Itumeleng English Independent Media
Jose Riveiro’s ship might be listing but they it is still well on its way to its destination, and the outcome of their trip is still fully under their watch.
The Sea Robbers were given a taste of their own medicine as they found themselves in enemy territory and were stripped of their power and control in a battle that saw them come second-best with a 4-1 defeat against Mamelodi Sundowns.
But as the saying goes, “There are plenty of fish in the sea,” and as the focus shifts to the Nedbank Cup this weekend, it will be vital for Riveiro and his troops to be fully switched on against Baroka – the former semi-finalists who have proven before in the same competition that names count for very little.
Defending champions Pirates have been in free-flowing mode in this competition for the past two seasons, and they should get the better of a Baroka side that is currently struggling, after recently losing coach Joel Masutha, who was in charge for just over two months at the club.
The defence of the title they won with a 2-1 victory against Sundowns last season will take priority this weekend, but at the back of their minds will be the bigger fish to fry.
The club has been successful in domestic competitions, as they currently also hold the MTN8 title they won earlier this season, but it comes as no secret that the league and CAF Champions League will always take priority.
The Buccaneers have been guilty of dropping crucial points at crucial times in seasons past, and although they have lost only three matches in their league campaign, they have shown a lot of improvement, when compared to the last two seasons.
Some of their failings had come against teams they should beat on paper. Their league championship fate is perhaps no longer in their hands, as they will now rely on other teams to do the business for them against the defending champions.
Riveiro and his charges will make a return to league action four days after their Nedbank Cup clash, away toGolden Arrows, and they will close off the month of February hosting a Muhsin Ertugral-led Cape Town City, which inflicted one of their three defeats this season with a shock 1-0 loss.
Winning all three upcoming fixtures will be essential, as their current position stems from their lack of consistency, putting their title challenge at risk of fading away before it even began to gain any momentum.
There is a little over a month before Sundowns make the trip to the Orlando Stadium in their return leg, and without looking too far ahead, their league ambitions are hanging by a thread. What happens in that fixture will either offer a title challenge the masses want to see or we could see a sinking ship doomed.