Riveiro: I'm extremely proud to be Orlando Pirates coach

Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro praised his side for sticking together to win the MTN8 after a difficult spell.

Pirates won back-to-back MTN8 titles for the second time after a 3-1 penalty shoot-out win over Sundowns, after the sides finished extra-time still deadlocked.

Riveiro, who has also won his second successive MTN8 trophy, says they had to suffer difficult moments but he's happy they managed to win the cup.

READ | Pirates successfully defend MTN8 title

"Just happiness, nothing else, I don't think it's a moment to analyze the game. We went through a difficult period recently, so the way that these guys today fought for the trophy, for the club, for the Pirates family, for our fans," Riveiro told SuperSport TV.

"We are here to try to inspire them, to give them hope, today they could see that if you fight, if you are together until the end you know even though we went through difficult moments in the game.

"Because they (Sundowns) are good, it's a good team but we managed to stay together to really fight and get the results. So I'm extremely proud to be an Orlando Pirates coach and yeah, what else?" he asked.

The Spanish coach continued and explained that playing that wind factor affected the quality of the game and that when they were pressurized by Sundowns, they struggled not because the Brazilians were too good but that the wind made things difficult for them.

"I think we experienced the worst thing that you can experience when you play football, which is the wind, nothing worse than wind to play football.

"Today is an example, the game was different to the game that could be in a different condition I think. We struggled a lot in the second-half, we could not attack, we could not get rid of the pressing, not only because they are good in pressing but also because of the wind.

"It was difficult to find solutions, many times we were exposed, in long balls and in second balls. Pirates and Sundowns today didn't play the way it's supposed to play the game, because of the conditions," he went on.

"Because in the end it's a question of adapt yourself to the circumstances, survive, we tried as hell in the second part of extra-time, they had their moments and in the end the penalties.

"An exhibition from our goalkeeper Sipho (Chaine), credit to the goalkeeper coach as well, today we were more accurate than the last time in the takers selection and well happy to get the trophy one more time."

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