Jose Riveiro plots Pyramids’ downfall to reach the CAF Champions League final

The two teams clash in a CAF Champions League semifinal, second leg game at the 30^th June Stadium in Cairo, Egypt, at 9pm (8pm SA time).

The first leg in Johannesburg was a tightly contested affair, as the game finished goalless. The local media have been observant of Bucs’ dominance over North African opposition, but Riveiro says the knockout phase is a different ball game altogether.

“In this stage of the competition, first of all that changes everything, the time we came here in the middle of January to play Al Ahly with both teams having already qualified to the next round who were obviously fighting for first position in the group stage and this is a different story, for both teams,” Riveiro said.

“We are in a situation of privilege to have the opportunity of going to the final of the maximum competition on the continent with everything still open to play 0-0 in the first leg.”

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Bucs have had an impressive record against North African teams, and overall, in this competition, they remain the only unbeaten team this season. Riveiro was asked last night by the local media what their secret has been behind this good run.

“Just a lot of work behind our performances since day one since we started the preseason together. We challenge ourselves to do it better than the last season where we couldn’t even qualify to the group stages, I think this time we were really committed to this competition, we managed to deliver good performances since day one without hesitation,” the coach added.

“And I think we went to the group stages with a desire to prove as a young team that we are as a young team without experience in the competition, like we said early in the group stages and it remains the same, we are just adding new chapters in our story in this competition. A beautiful story so far and we’re trying to take every game the way it is.”