Johannesburg — It is now or never for both Jose Riveiro and Gavin Hunt!
As the 2022/2023 Premiership season concludes this afternoon the only guarantee is that Mamelodi Sundowns are the champions.
And while Sundowns’ surge to another title – their sixth in a row – was somewhat expected, few tipped Orlando Pirates and SuperSport United to take the race for the runners-up spot down to the wire.
The sides are separated by a mere two-goal cushion. Pirates are second with 51 points, level with the third-placed SuperSport United – making for interesting matches when they visit AmaZulu and Sekhukhune United respectively on the final day of the season this afternoon.
With Riveiro only in his first season at Pirates and Hunt in his second spell at SuperSport in more than a decade, it’s safe to assume their respective runs were not part of the script.
Having punched above their weight to get this far in the league, they have to embrace the pressure and finish off the job.
The coach that leads his team to the second spot will be all but guaranteed the runners-up finish for the Coach of the Season award which is expected to be won by Sundowns’ Rulani Mokwena.
Riveiro was ridiculed when he landed the Pirates job. He didn’t receive a pleasant welcome from the football fraternity last year – let alone from ‘the Ghost’ – thanks to his underwhelming CV after spells in his native Spain and Finland.
But his team won the MTN8 title and could also win the Nedbank Cup on May 27 – Pirates will face Sekhukhune in the Ke Yona Cup final at Loftus Versfeld after bulldozing their way to the showdown, including beating arch-rivals Kaizer Chiefs in the semi-final.
Pirates meet AmaZulu in Durban this afternoon knowing that they lead SuperSport by a measly two-goal cushion, hence they can’t afford to fluff any chances up front.
Meanwhile, SuperSport achieved the improbable by getting this far, considering Hunt worked with a largely inexperienced squad this season due to the club’s financial difficulties.
That’s why there will be buzzing confidence within the squad that they can finish off the job and return to African competition for the first time since Hunt’s reign in 2010.
IOL Sport