Rivaldo Coetzee warns Pirates: ‘Games in hand aren’t points’
Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Rivaldo Coetzee admits that rivals Orlando Pirates will struggle to make the most of their games in hand.
Rivaldo Coetzee has stated that it will be difficult for the Orlando Pirates to convert their games in hand into points. The Buccaneers have four games in hand on Mamelodi Sundowns, but they are 18 points behind.
This means that even if Orlando Pirates were to win all four games in hand, they would still be 6 points behind the league leaders in the Betway Premiership table. According to Rivaldo Coetzee, these pressures could prove too much for Orlando Pirates.
“I think this is where you win the league, when games are back-to-back because teams are trying to catch up,” the defensive midfielder told the Sundowns Pitchside Podcast.
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐢𝐭𝐜𝐡𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐝𝐜𝐚𝐬𝐭 𝐖𝐞𝐥𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐒𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐨𝐰𝐧𝐬’ 𝐎𝐰𝐧 𝐑𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐥𝐝𝐨 𝐂𝐨𝐞𝐭𝐳𝐞𝐞!
— Mamelodi Sundowns FC (@Masandawana) March 4, 2025
Hlompo Kekana, Rivaldo Coetzee, and DJ Naves discuss the team’s ability to adapt to any challenge, whilst also previewing our upcoming fixture against Golden Arrows… pic.twitter.com/Ok06iqgXq6
“Mentally, you’re already saying look at the gap. Okay, you have games in hand, but they’re not points. Games in hand don’t count, so the gap is the same even though you played four or five games less than the top team.” He added.
Mamelodi Sundowns continue to win their games, increasing the pressure on Orlando Pirates. The Buccaneers must be perfect form in the remaining three months of the season.
Rivaldo Coetzee’s experiences in title races
To win the title, Orlando Pirates must win all their remaining games in the Betway Premiership this season. Mamelodi Sundowns are on an incredible run, including five wins from their last six matches.
This means that they barely drop any points, so Orlando Pirates must match and outperform them. This is a tall order for a Pirates side that lost away to Magesi FC last Saturday, falling a staggering 18 points behind Mamelodi Sundowns.
Despite the team’s desire to remain optimistic, it’s clear that Mamelodi Sundowns’ consistency makes closing the points gap difficult..
“I remember the season after we won the Champions League [2016], and we lost the league to Wits. It was the same pressure where we had five games in hand, and we thought we would win those games, then we’ll win the league, but it doesn’t work like that in football,” Coetzee further stated.
“When you’re playing catchup, you have to squeeze in fixtures in between games. We lost to Maritzburg United and drew against Baroka and Platinum Stars in a space of six days, and we thought those were points we would get, but it doesn’t work like that.”
“We wanted to narrow the gap, but it doesn’t work like that, and it will play against you simply because you will neglect some of the things that you can do. You relax as a team and that puts you under pressure because when the other team scores first before you, it causes things to collapse.” He elaborated.
Not all is lost, though, as the Buccaneers remain in two other tournaments this season, having already won the MTN 8 this season.
Should Orlando Pirates Switch Their Focus To The CAF Champions League and Nedbank Cup?
Because the gap to Mamelodi Sundowns is so extreme, is Orlando Pirates better suited to rest their players in the Betway Premiership and prioritise success in the CAF Champions League and the Nedbank Cup?
Let us know by leaving a comment below, or send a WhatsApp to 060 011 021 1.
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