Orlando Pirates coach Jos Riveiro has lauded the commitment of his players after they came from a goal down to beat Kaizer Chiefs 2-1 in their Betway Premiership Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
Chiefs had a perfect start when Glody Lilepo netted in the second minute , but goals from Evidence Makgopa 24th minute and Relebohile Mofokeng 69th secured a league double for the Buccaneers over Chiefs this season.
While Pirates remain 12 points behind Sundowns in the title race, with two games in hand, Riveiro is pleased with Bucs' performance in 2024-2025. The Spaniard, who will leave the Soweto giants at the end of the campaign, said his players proved they wanted to do something special this season by pushing hard for a place in the Caf Champions League final and to win the Premiership.
Pirates were within a goal of reaching the Caf final they lost 3-2 against Pyramids FC in their semifinal second leg last week where a scoring draw would have seen them through on away goals.
In the league, Bucs pushed seven-time successive champions Sundowns harder than any team in the past half-decade. However, it seems increasingly likely the Brazilians who need seven points from four matches to wrap up the title, providing Pirates don't drop points will conclude their eighth championship in a row in their next few games.