Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has singled out one Buccaneers star after the 2-0 win over TS Galaxy on Tuesday night.
The Buccaneers maintained their winning start to the Betway Premiership season after the win at the Mbombela Stadium.
Makhehlene Makhaula picked up the Man of the Match award on the night and the Spaniard spoke of the midfielder's importance.
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"It means a lot because we're used to give individual awards to players that shine in the last metres of the game and not the ones that are shining in the first metres of the game and he's one example, in any possible means as a professional," Riveiro told SuperSport after the game.
"Makhaula's reward also belongs to those who are working to keep a clean-sheet.
"Like today our centre-backs, usually they don't get the recognition they deserve, so happy for him because he's a very important player for us."
The Spanish coach also spoke about players on the bench being ready after Thabiso Monyane replaced the injured Deano van Rooyen.
"With this marathon we have to be ready for every kind of inconvenience because there's a lot of challenges in the game.
"Today was a game that was played in a really high tempo from the first minute, with a lot of duels, contact and it's normal to suffer these type of knocks when you try to be first and [hopefully] it's not going to be something serious," Riveiro said.
