Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has called on his team to tighten their set-piece defense following a tense goalless draw with Egypt’s Pyramids FC in the first leg of the CAF Champions League semi-final at the FNB Stadium.
The Buccaneers endured a testing second half, with the visitors pressing hard and creating multiple chances.
Pyramids came close to taking the lead when Fiston Mayele narrowly missed a header from close range.
The Egyptian side also saw two goals ruled out by VAR decisions, a technology not typically used in the Premier Soccer League (PSL), which played a decisive role in preserving Pirates’ clean sheet.
Speaking after the match, Riveiro emphasized the need for sharper defending, particularly from dead-ball situations.
“It’s a good warning for us. We have to do better, especially on corners and set pieces. We have to analyze what happened and improve next time,” he stated.
The Pirates coach expressed his satisfaction with the officiating, noting that the application of video refereeing brought clarity to key decisions.
“If the referee disallowed the goals, then we can’t discuss it. They were disallowed,” he said. “We are not used to VAR in our domestic league, but I trust that after review, the referee made the right calls.”
Despite the frustrating outcome for the Pyramids—who believed they had done enough to earn a crucial away victory—the South African side now turns its attention to the decisive second leg.
The reverse fixture is set to be played at the June 30 Air Defence Stadium in Cairo on Friday, where a place in the final will be up for grabs.
Pyramids’ head coach Krunoslav Jurčić was visibly displeased with the disallowed goals, reflecting a match filled with tension and missed opportunities.
However, the result keeps both teams alive in the tie.
The winner of the semifinal will go on to face either Mamelodi Sundowns or Al Ahly, who meet in the other last-four clash.
With everything still to play for, Riveiro and his squad will aim to shore up their defensive setup before stepping into a hostile atmosphere in Egypt.
As the Pirates prepare for the return leg, Riveiro’s message is clear: defensive discipline, especially at set-pieces, could determine whether they book a place in the CAF Champions League final or fall at the penultimate hurdle.
