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Pirates to face giant killers Dondol in Nedbank Cup quarterfinals
'It is going to be a tough one' said Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro.
Jose Riveiro of Pirates (left) and Vincent Rammoni of Dondol Stars (right) will face off in the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals. Picture: Backpagepix.
The draw for the the Nedbank Cup quarterfinals on Monday saw the big three – Orlando Pirates, Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns – avoid each other in this stage of the tournament.
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But the most interesting fixture, that everyone will be looking forward to, will be that of Pirates against this edition’s surprise package, Dondol Stars.
Pirates will be going up against a Dondol side that has been very impressive in the Ke Yona Cup this year, with the ABC Motsepe League side having already beaten two Dstv Premiership sides en route to the last eight.
Dondol started their good run in the Nedbank by beating neighbours SuperSport United 2-1, before going on to knock out AmaZulu in the last 16.
The Buccaneers will surely have a lot of thinking to do going into this clash – they have only played teams outside the top flight on their journey to the quarterfinals.
Pirates met All Stars FC in the first round of the competition, in a match that was closely contested, but they managed to win the tie 2-0.
They were then paired against Venda Football Academy (VFA), where they also had a difficult time beating the lower league side. Against the team from Limpopo, Pirates struggled so much that they had to rely on an extra time goal courtesy of Thembinkosi Locrh to make it through.
Intensity
Head coach Jose Riveiro already knows the intensity when it comes to matches against the so-called small team and he is expecting Dondol to come out with guns blazing.
”It is going to be a tough one like previous games for us. We know that they are not here by chance,” said Riveiro after the draw held at SuperSport studios in Johannesburg.
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“We are playing a team that is not playing in the same division as us, so they will be motivated to play against us,”
For Dondol coach Vincent Rammoni, this is another test for his team.
“Pirates are a big team, they have a rich history,” said Rammoni.
Nedbank Cup quarterfinal draw:
Dondol Stars v Orlando Pirates
Stellenbosch FC v Mamelodi Sundowns
Royal AM v Kaizer Chiefs
Chippa United v Sekhukhune United
