Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro has given an update on Makhehlene Makhaula, who was stretchered off in the first stanza against Hungry Lions.
Makhaula was attended by the Pirates medical team for a long period just before the interval after seemingly going down unconscious and was stretchered off the pitch with breathing equipment
"What I can tell you is coming from the half-time and now I spoke to the doctor and the guy seems to be okay but I don't want to say anything because I don't really know," Riveiro told SuperSport TV.
READ | Rampant Bucs book Nedbank Cup last 8 berth
"It was a shocking moment for all of us, good reaction from the doctors, for a moment it was not a joke what was happening there and when we went to halftime, the doctors and people from the club told us that he's doing well, he's conscious and talking and I'm just looking to go again and see what's the situation right now," he said.
The Buccaneers went through to the quarter-finals of the Nedbank Cup after thrashing Hungry Lions 4-0 thanks to a brace by Tshegofatso Mabasa and a goal by Monnapule Saleng and another via an own goal by Morena Monaheng.
The Spanish coach continued to give his thoughts on the encounter and complimented Lions for not giving them spaces before they conceded an own goal midway into the first stanza.
"Congratulations to the opponent tonight, I think they played a good game, brave. They occupied the spaces very well in the defensive phase, we didn't have so much space in little pockets, with the back-four really high, so it was about being precise," he added.
"You have to try again and again, we tried, we did it very well I think in some moments, we scored the goal with that run to the space first, then we provoked the red-card and a couple of situations before with Rele (Mofokeng). Overall I think we were superior but I think the 4-0 is not telling the whole truth about the game."
The 46-year-old tactician carried and emphasized how difficult it is to eliminate lower leagues opposition, as they have nothing to lose.
"Like you said, step by step. We know how difficult it was last season to make it to the final even though when you see the name of the opponent, everybody is understanding that we are gonna go through but we know how much you need to work in this game," he went on.
"We're playing against teams that are highly motivated, they have not so much to lose because everybody is expecting us to get the good result, so it's difficult but like I said before the match, we have some experience and I think (apart from) the first 15 minutes of the game we were quiet solid today."
