Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro says they do not want to make a habit of having to come from behind after a last-gasp winner by Monnapule Saleng rescued a 2-1 win against Chippa United in the Betway Premiership opener.
Former Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Andile Jali broke the deadlock for Chippa midway into the first stanza with a cracking volley but the Buccaneers went to the interval level with the Chilli Boys, after a penalty scored by Tshegofatso Mabasa.
READ | Saleng rescues victory for Pirates in league opener
After it looked like the Soweto giants had dropped points, Saleng rescued maximum points after a free header in stoppages.
"Important points, good to start with a victory. One year ago we started with zero, today with three," Riveiro said on SuperSport TV
"Chippa is a complicated team because they are big boys, very physical, it's difficult to contain them. But we managed to come back in the second-half, I think we played good football in some moments.
"We created more than enough chances but in a rush, coming from behind is not a good thing. It's not a habit that we want to create. We want to start games better and be ourselves, getting the advantage and not like today," Riveiro said.
The Spanish coach went on and explained the reasoning behind his changes after he surprisingly took off the likes of Relebohile Mofokeng and Mabasa for untested Thuso Moleleki and Boitumelo Radiopane.
"We were looking for more capacity to play forward, pass more vertical with 'KB' [Kabelo Dlamini] and then the introduction of Moleleki, to help us to hold the ball a little bit more between the lines, looking to create something different in the last, they were a little bit tired. We got the second goal and I'm happy," the Spanish mentor said.
Pirates will switch their attention back to the CAF Champions League when they host Jwaneng Galaxy on Saturday, in the second preliminary round, second-leg.
"We're eight weeks competing and we're already three different competitions but that's the situation when you're in a big club, when you're trying to fight for everything. Every game for us is a must win and today I'm happy with the coming back, because it's gonna help us in the future but we need to correct our attitude in the first 45 minutes," Riveiro added.