Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has challenged his side to bounce back in their final match of the season as their ambition of qualifying for the CAF Champions League preliminary stage hangs by a thread.
The Buccaneers dropped points again in the race for second position as they lost 1-0 to TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium.
This was Pirates’ second defeat on the trot, having lost to relegation-threatened Richards Bay a week before.
With Stellenbosch also losing to Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, Riveiro’s men still have a chance of securing second position as they trail the Cape Winelands side by a single point.
“We need to show we really want to be there. We needed that (win) today. We have one more chance and we have to reflect deeply on how badly we want it, or it is not going to happen,” Riveiro told SuperSport TV.
Stellies find themselves in the same situation as Pirates as they have also lost their last two league games.
Riveiro insisted they didn’t adapt to their usual style of play as he slammed the players’ attitude.
“We were not good enough to deserve a better result. It could have happened because we had chances, but we were not really playing the game we wanted to play and we were allowing our opponents to play to their strength.
☠️ ⏪️ 𝗬𝗔𝗗𝗛𝗖𝗧𝗔𝗠 ⏪️
🏆 #DStvPrem
📆 18 May 2024
🏟 Mbombela Stadium
⚽️ FT || @TSGALAXYFC 1 – 0 @orlandopirates⚫️⚪️🔴⭐️#OrlandoPirates#OnceAlways pic.twitter.com/ayVlXWBbHA
— Orlando Pirates (@orlandopirates) May 19, 2024
“It was well deserved for them (the win), our attitude was not enough. If you see the match, for 90 minutes Galaxy were playing for something more important than us.
“Your attitude cannot only come when you are losing, it is easy to be brave (then). “I am ready to lose a game, but not because the team in front of you fights more than you,” Riveiro lamented.
The Buccaneers will host SuperSport United in their final DSTV Premiership fixture of the season on Saturday.
