Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro is thrilled by the camaraderie within his squad following Kabelo Dlamini’s late winner at Richards Bay on Sunday.
Dlamimi came off the bench to score a stunning freekick nine minutes from time to hand Pirates all three points when it had looked like the spoils would be shared.
Richards Bay goalkeeper Ian Otieno thwarted a number of attacks from Pirates and it needed something special to breach him.
Up stepped Dlamini and with a freekick just outside the box, and he curled home on his left foot, to leave the goalkeeper rooted to his spot as the Buccaneers walked home with maximum points.
What did the Pirates coach make of Sunday’s game?
“Yeah, a complex game to resolve, but we did it,” Riveiro told SuperSport TV after the match.
“That’s the most important thing in the end. I think we got enough opportunities, even in the first half to get the lead and have a different game ahead of us, but it was tough.
“We have to fight until the end, trying to find a hole to put the ball in the net. An excellent goal, but I’ll take the attitude of the players today was super from the first minute.
“It’s not easy to play these types of games just before one final, like you asked me before the match, and everybody showed today a really high commitment with the game, with the result, with the three points. And it's good news.”
Riveiro is happy that everybody is ‘ready to die’ for the team
Riveiro then praised Dlamini for showing a good attitude by coming off the bench to score the match winner while lauding his players for keeping a positive spirit whether they are in the starting XI or not.
“Everyone knows KB [Kabelo Dlamini] is able to put one more gear in the team when needed,” added Riveiro.
“It didn’t work the way we expected to be honest, but it was good enough with [his] contribution, especially with that excellent goal that is giving us the three points.
“Important again is that everybody on the bench is ready to die for the team when they get to play one minute and today KB was exceptional.”
It was the second straight game in which a substitute helped Pirates secure victory after Evidence Makgopa scored twice after coming on in their 3-2 win over Polokwane City on Tuesday.
