Jose Riveiro will not be on the bench for Orlando Pirates when they take on Kaizer Chiefs in their eagerly-anticipated Soweto Derby clash at FNB Stadium on Saturday, but this is still a battle of tactics and wits between the Spaniard and opposite number Arthur Zwane.
Riveiro will serve the second game of his two-match suspension following an unnecessary red card in the Nedbank Cup win at All Stars earlier this month.
But he will have been plotting the downfall of Chiefs and will no doubt find a way to communicate with assistant coaches Mandla Ncikazi and Sergio Almenara on Saturday.
It is an important game for both. While Chiefs have publicly backed Zwane, there must be concerns over the trajectory of the side after four defeats in their last six DStv Premiership matches, and eight losses this season overall.
No other side in the current top eight has lost more games than Chiefs and Zwane can have little to crow about with only eight victories in 20 games to date, a mediocre win ratio of 40 per cent.
He might well point out that one of those victories was against Pirates in the reverse league fixture in October, where Yusuf Maart’s stunning 60-yard goal settled the contest in the favour of the AmaKhosi.
It has largely been win or bust for Zwane, with only runaway leaders Mamelodi Sundowns (1) drawing fewer than Chiefs’ four games this season.
Central to Zwane’s woes has been trying to keep a clean sheet. Chiefs have conceded 24 goals this term, the sixth worst defence in the topflight, and nine more than Pirates from the same number of games.
Those four recent defeats have seen them ship nine goals, more than two a game, and it is very hard to win matches when that is the case.
Riveiro had a tough start to life at Pirates but has settled in nicely and taken the side to third in the league, though he will be desperate to avoid Zwane doing the ‘Double’ over him.
His win ratio is only marginally better at 45 per cent, but there have also been three fewer defeats than Chiefs.
Still, there is not all that much to choose between the sides and a victory for Zwane would take his side level on points with Riveiro’s.
But, it is the momentum of the respective sides that perhaps pit Pirates on top. While Chiefs are seemingly on a downward trajectory, Pirates have won five of their last six games in all competitions, the only blemish a 1-0 loss to Sundowns. No disgrace there.
So Riveiro has the slightly better win per centage, but is also steering an improving team, while the opposite is true for Zwane.
Still, the Soweto Derby is a great leveller and when you expect one team to dominate given their form, the opposite can often occur. It is an old cliché, but form truly does go out the window.
ZWANE’S LEAGUE WINS THIS SEASON
3-0 vs Maritzburg United (home)
1-0 vs Richards Bay (home)
2-1 vs SuperSport United (home)
2-1 vs Swallows FC (away)
3-1 vs Stellenbosch FC (away)
1-0 vs Orlando Pirates (away)
2-0 vs Lamontville Golden Arrows (away)
2-0 vs Royal AM (home)
RIVEIRO’S LEAGUE WINS THIS SEASON
1-0 vs Swallows FC (home)
1-0 vs Royal AM (away)
1-0 vs Marumo Gallants (home)
2-0 vs TS Galaxy (home)
2-0 vs Lamontville Golden Arrows (away)
3-1 vs Lamontville Golden Arrows (home)
4-1 vs Stellenbosch FC (home)
2-0 vs Marumo Gallants (away)
2-1 vs Maritzburg United (home)