If we were playing basketball, we probably could have won with a 30 or 40 points - Riveiro.

According to Orlando Pirates coach, Jose Riveiro, his side did enough to beat Dondol Stars in regulation time, but they were just unlucky with their final touch.

Amabhakaniya had to go through the agony of a penalty shootout following a 1-1 draw with the third tiers after extra-time.

 "I was quite calm on the bench. I was quite sure that we would make it before the penalties, but it’s a football game, and anything can happen," Riveiro told the media as quoted by Goal.com
https://www.goal.com/en-za/news/did-orlando-pirates-underrate-dondol-stars-in-nedbank-cup-riveiro-was-quite-sure-bucs-will-not-go-to-penalties/bltac488e6120e47e18

"If we were playing basketball, we probably could have won with a 30 or 40 points advantage. But this is football, and it’s very complex. It’s easy and complex at the same time, but these things can happen."

"[Penalties] are not what we planned. But at the same time, it was not a surprise. It’s a cup game, and these games are special, that’s why we love the cups everywhere around the world, and South Africa is not an exception."

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/dondol-must-be-proud-while-pirates-must.html?m=1

Riveiro admitted they faced a good team in Dondol, taking a veiled dig at Supersport United and AmaZulu, by mentioning how there are couple of teams in the PSL who know Dondol very well.

"We faced a good team, there are a couple of PSL teams who can tell you about them, and we managed to do enough to avoid the penalties, to be honest, but we were very unlucky in the last touch."

Dondol must be proud, while Pirates must balance their game - Tso Vilakazi.

Orlando Pirates advanced to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals after beating a determined Dondol Stars 5-4 on penalties at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

Former Orlando Pirates midfielder, and iDiski TV analyst, Benedict 'Tso' Vilakazi was left impressed by the ABC Motsepe League side.

"These boys should walk with their heads up, and be proud of themselves, it is not often that you see a team from the third division playing a PSL team and dominate the game in all departments," Tso told iDiski TV. 

"But like I always say, you can't go to Woolworths or Pick n Pay to buy experience, it is earned.

"Those boys only lacked experience, the football they displayed, the chances they created, it was just lack of experience in terms of choosing the right passes and the right moments to make those passes, that's all. Well done to them for taking Pirates to penalties."

While Vilakazi was impressed with Dondol, he feels his former club, Pirates lack balance in their game.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/rulani-must-stop-doing-certain-players.html?m=1

"Pirates need to balance their game, you can't always use width to win games because teams watch your games and catch up with your tactics.

"They make life easy for their opponents, who just have to make sure they stop their wing play, that's what Dondol did. They made sure they covered the width and played through the middle, that's why they looked good.

"Pirates don't have midfielders who can influence the game through the middle, that's why they struggle, they need to balance their play."

Pirates next match will be against Cape Town City on Saturday 22 April at Orlando Stadium.

Kick-off will be at 15:00.

Pirates official infuriates Dondol.

      Image: Lorenz Kohler Twitter

Orlando Pirates advanced to the Nedbank Cup semi-finals after a hard fought 5-4 penalty shootout victory over Dondol Stars.

But the much anticipated clash did not end without some controversy.

A Pirates official allegedly put Dondol keeper, Sphamandla Gumede's life at risk by taking away his water bottle.

According to Dondol co-coach, Khuliso Rashamuse, their keeper asthma, so he keeps water next to him at all times next to his goal posts, since he can't have his pump on the field.

"Spha had a water bottle by the goalposts and it was just pure, pure water. So the cadre there from Orlando Pirates I don’t know his name but that was very disgusting, you don’t do that," said Rashamuse after the match as quoted by iDiski Times. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/nedbank-cup/that-was-disgusting-rashamuse/

"Because you know this is a game of tempers we end up losing our tempers and respect. Spha has asthma. So if he doesn’t have the pump he needs the water that’s why I was angry.

"He went there and took the water bottle, now the game is on and Spha is focusing on the guy that was doing that. That was a total zero for me."

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/if-anything-pirates-should-win-nedbank.html?m=1

In football you can never be too sure, probably the poor Pirates official might have thought there was some muthi on that water bottle, and decided to take one for the team.

If anything, Pirates should win the Nedbank Cup.

Orlando Pirates survived scary moments to defeat a stubborn Dondol Stars 5-4 on penalties on Saturday afternoon at Peter Mokaba stadium.

The match had ended 1-1 after extra time, with Thembinkosi Lorch netting for Pirates in the 55th minute, before Tebogo Makungo quickly replied for Dondol in the 57th minute.

At the end of the match, statistics spoke of a dominant Pirates that should have won the game in regulation time, with 66% ball possession, 23 attempts on goal, and eight on target.

Compare that to Dondol's 44% possession, seven goal attempts, and just three on target.

It was a mismatch right? Wrong!

Dondol were determined to claim another Dstv Premiership scalp, having disposed of SuperSport United, and AmaZulu FC in the round of 32 and the last 16 respectively.

With the 'prize' of winning against Pirates much higher, they were not just about to roll out the red carpet for Bucs, stand on the side, and clap for them on their way to victory.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/after-stellenbosch-loss-how-deep-can.html?m=1

Dondol fought like a team possessed, and Pirates should thank their guardian ghosts for avoiding an embarrassing defeat.

Ironic this might sound, but Pirates slayed a giant in Dondol Stars.

It must be said, Pirates looks like a team ordained to win the Nedbank Cup.

From getting what may be called the luck of the draw, which is not so lucky if you ask me, and actually making it to the semi-finals without playing a Dstv Premiership side, now, what is the worst that could go wrong?

Pirates have survived the worst, which is the threat of the unknown when it comes to second and third tier teams.

Whoever is left in the semi-finals will be an open book to Bucs.

On that note, with the football Gods having played their cards in Pirates favor from the beginning of the tournament, it will be a disappointment to them if the team fails to lift their second trophy of the season with the Nedbank Cup. 

Dondol: We won’t play as we did against AmaZulu and SuperSport.

 

Orlando Pirates should expect to face a different Dondol Stars side when they clash on Saturday 15 April in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Peter Mokaba Stadium.

According to Dondol co-coach, Vincent Rammoni, they have prepared a special giant slaying pot for Pirates than what they dished out against SuperSport United and Amazulu FC. Dondol beat Amantsantsantsa 2-1 in the round of 32, before disposing of Usuthu in the last 16.

"Coming to Pirates, we won't play as we did against AmaZulu and SuperSport. We are now playing a different team that is using different personnel and have different qualities all-round,” Rammoni told the media in the Nedbank Cup press conference ahead of their game against Pirates.

"So, our principles will never change. We will be the same Dondol that played against both AmaZulu and SuperSport.

"But in terms of personnel, we will probably see few changes because we want to adopt few things within our game model."

 

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/we-learned-that-we-need-to-be-more.html

 

 

Rammoni went on to emphasize that their main focus at the moment, is on winning promotion to the Motsepe Foundation Championship, even though they will not pass a chance to win the Nedbank Cup should an opportunity arise.

 

He also praised the quality of their squad, saying it makes it easy for them to change things around because everyone in the team knows how to get the work done.

 

“As I’ve said, the priority is to win the league and get into the playoffs and get promoted,” Rammoni told the media yesterday.

“That is the biggest goal that we are targeting. On how far we want to go in the Nedbank Cup, obviously, if chances are there for us to go and win it, we will take them.

“But one thing is we have a group of quality players. It’s always easy for us as coaches to make changes, rest some players and bring others as we believe that all the players that we’ve signed this season can get the job done.

“We are not being influenced by what happened in the Nedbank Cup. We are still the very same team that started the season with the very same objectives, and we are working on reaching them by winning the league.

“We are excited to have reached this level in the competition.”

 

We learned that we need to be more ruthless - Dondol co-coach, Rammoni.

Dondol Stars will host Orlando Pirates in a Nedbank Cup quarterfinal at Peter Mokaba Stadium, on Saturday 15 April.

The ABC Motsepe foundation side have earned themselves a giant killers tag after disposing of SuperSport United and AmaZulu FC on their way to the quarterfinals.

They will be looking to claim an even bigger scalp on Saturday against Pirates.

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/riveiro-emphasizes-importance-of-team.html?m=1

Dondol co-coach, Vincent Rammoni has come out to reveal some valuable lessons his side have learned during their Nedbank Cup run.

"I think the Nedbank Cup helped us as a technical team and our players who are featuring in our journey to gain promotion. Now we are able to handle a lot of aspects better than we were doing before participating here," said Rammoni as quoted by The Citizen. https://www.citizen.co.za/sport/soccer/local-soccer/class-is-in-session-for-dondol-in-nedbank-cup-ahead-of-pirates-clash/

"For instance, if you check, before playing the Nedbank Cup it was so difficult to play without conceding goals in the league.

"We were winning our matches but with a margin of 3-1, 4-1, 5-1, we were mostly conceding. So, in the Nedbank, we learned that we need to be more ruthless with the chances we created and we need to be a team that doesn’t concede goals in our matches, that’s one aspect that we learned. Because we realised how difficult it was to score against SuperSport United and AmaZulu FC."

ALSO READ: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/theyve-given-me-no-reason-to-doubt-them.html?m=1

Being ruthless in front of goal, and not conceding, especially in the early stages of Saturday's game, will be some of the valuable lessons Dondol will have to implement with immediate effect if they entertain any hopes of shocking an in form Pirates.

Kick-off is at 15:00.

Riveiro emphasizes the importance of team work ahead of Dondol clash.

Orlando Pirates will take on Dondol Stars on Saturday 15 April at Peter Mokaba Stadium in a much anticipated Nedbank Cup quarterfinal.

The match will kickoff at 15:00.

Dondol have already claimed the scalps of two Dstv Premiership sides in SuperSport United and AmaZulu FC en route to the last 8, and they will have their sights firmly set on Pirates on Saturday with a hope of claiming their most famous victory to date.

But it won't be easy for the third tier side, with Pirates currently on a good vein of form.

In the league, Amabhakaniya are on a four match winning run that has seen them climb to the second spot, having scored an impressive nine goals, with just one conceded.

Their head coach, Jose Riveiro has praised the importance of the collective effort in his side's good season so far, with the MTN8 trophy already safe in their cabinet, and the hunt for the Nedbank Cup looking promising.

"It is a collective sport," said Riveiro as quoted by iDiski Times ahead of his side's Nedbank Cup match against Dondol Stars. https://www.idiskitimes.co.za/nedbank-cup/riveiro-grateful-for-lorch-return-for-season-finale/

"It’s important that everybody understands the different roles that we are giving to the players in our structure in every game plan.

"I’m really happy to be part of the group, to have the opportunity to work with such quality players. Versatile players as well, ready to modify their roles in the game – sometimes to sacrifice things as well.

"And that’s the important thing that everybody understand that when the collective is shining, there are looking [like] better players, better coaches.

Also Read: https://safootballtxt.blogspot.com/2023/04/chiefs-set-their-sights-on-nedbank-cup.html?m=1

"We are in that stage, so we really want to have all of our quality players to perform and we love that Thembinkosi made it to be part of the group in the last part of the season and he’s been very important for all of us – like every other player before.

"I think we managed through the season to be competitive, it doesn’t matter who was available for selection, I think Pirates were a competitive team throughout the season.

"Fortunately now we are also in a good moment with regards to our injuries and we have almost all of our players available."