Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has insinuated that they must not get carried away after beating Algerian champions MC Alger 0-1 in the first leg of the CAF Champions League quarterfinals in Algiers on Tuesday, saying the tie was still open.
Pirates deployed a cautious approach, playing with three central defenders in Nkosinathi Sibisi, Tapelo Xoki and prodigy Mbekezeli Mbokazi. Bucs looked content to absorb pressure from the hosts, always waiting for counterattacks. Mohau Nkota would eventually score the all-important goal after he was teed-up by Relebohile Mofokeng on transition in the 65th minute, having just entered the fray five minutes earlier.
“This is just the first 90 minutes of this round. We have to play the second half now in Orlando and everything is possible ... it's still open, we know we have to play a good game at home and try to make this result a good result for us,” Riveiro said.
Good things come to people who work hard and stick together.
— Sipho Chaine, Pirates goalkeeper
Pirates, the 1995 champions, remain the only unbeaten team in the Champions League this season with eight wins and three draws. Mofokeng, 20, has now racked up four assists in the Champions League with four goals as well, while his age compeer Nkota boasts three goals and two assists.
Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine, who was just excellent in Algiers, also stressed the importance of staying focused in the second leg, billed for Orlando Stadium on Wednesday (6pm). Chaine said the job was half-done, calling for togetherness and hard work as he believes those are the recipe for achieving good things.
“The most important thing is to focus on another 90 minutes. We're only halfway there. It's not going to be easy in the second leg but we have to stick together as a team, work hard ... good things come to people who work hard and stick together,” Chaine said.
Pirates' will have to swiftly switch focus to the domestic league as they face Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday (3pm).
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