Jose Riveiro, the coach of Orlando Pirates, believes that the match against Al Ahly in the CAF Champions League will be another chance to win as many points as possible.
In their second Group C game, the Buccaneers will host the defending champions on Saturday afternoon at Orlando Stadium. The match starts at 3pm.
Pirates are confident going into the game after defeating Algerian giants CR Belouizdad 2-1 on the road in their first game.
Ahly, on the other hand, defeated Stade Abidjan 4–2 with remarkable ease and now leads the table with a better goal differential.
The Spanish tactician told reporters at Orlando Stadium on Friday morning that the team is sufficiently prepared to deliver a successful performance against a well-oiled Ahly machine.
“This is the second game of the group stage, another opportunity to collect three points and continue our journey in the competition,” Riveiro said.
“We are preparing ourselves as usual, knowing the complexity of the challenge that we’re going to face tomorrow.
“It goes without saying, but we are preparing well, having time enough to prepare for this match, and really looking forward to seeing what happens.”
Hot weather conditions
The kick-off time, which will take place in the afternoon in hot weather, is one of the many things that many fans are talking about before the game.
Although it is well-known that North African teams have difficulty playing in hot weather, Riveiro dismissed the theory, claiming it would not affect the outcome of the match.
“I think they are used to the heat in Cairo [Egypt], if I’m not wrong. So, I think it’s going to be tough for both teams to play at 3pm,” said Riveiro.
“Tomorrow in Orlando, the temperature will reach 34 or 35 degrees, which will eventually impact both teams.
“We are going to play the game under the same conditions. Therefore, no one will use this as an excuse, regardless of the outcome.
“We play football outdoors in a variety of conditions, whether it’s raining or not, with different balls, and with or without wind.”
“So when you want to win games consistently, you must adapt to the situation.”
