Jose Riveiro encourages enough supply for his forwards like Zakhele Lepasa

Riveiro was speaking to the media at Orlando Stadium last night, following Pirates’ 2-0 over Cape Town City.

Lepasa scored his ninth goal of the season in all competitions and his third in the league, with the second goal coming from another on-form player, Patrick Maswanganyi. Riveiro emphasizes the need to give good supply to forwards like Lepasa.

"We need to make sure that our forwards, the number 9, our 10s, wingers, the ones who are coming from second line, they have chances. So, we try to generate as much chances as possible and I think that we used to do it," Riveiro said.

"So, that's our obsession to spend as much time as possible in help of the opponent. Today, like I said in the second half it was tough to do it because of the way that Cape Town was pressing and if we manage to expand we are capable to have the team playing close to the goal for long periods. 

With the quality that we have in front, it's gonna work for us and it is what is happening that's why the forwards are scoring. That's why maybe the goals this season are a bit more straight within the group."

Lepasa, who rejoined Pirates from SuperSport United where he spent six months on loan in the second-round last season, is also one of the leading strikers in the Bafana Bafana set up, where he scored crucial goals to help the team qualify for the 2023 African Cup of Nations (AFCON) tournament in Ivory Coast.

Riveiro also talks about Lepasa’s confidence which is good for the team.

"Even though Zakes [Zakhele] is in a very good moment of form, he's in that moment that strikers also need. You know, to have the confidence and even if he's a rebound or from long range like today or heading, you can see that it's in a good space. 

We just have to try to continue that whoever is playing there, Zakes or somebody else in his position. Like I said, the forwards can help those situations and luckily for them, you see the quality of the players that are playing behind them. I think they will have a lot of fun."