This comes after Pirates won 2-0 against Richards Bay on Saturday afternoon at the King Zwelithini Stadium as Terrence Dzvukamanja and Monnapule Saleng scored in either half of the encounter as Pirates leapfrogged SuperSport United to move to the second spot on the log.

Riveiro who has led Pirates to the MTN 8 triumph last year will also hope his side will emulate those MTN 8 heroics and go all the way to the Nedbank Cup triumph.

Pirates will face Dondol Stars in the quarterfinals of the Nedbank Cup at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday the 15th of April 2023 with kick-off being at 15:00.

“It’s going to be a successful season in the end, we want to finish well and we also want to go all the way in the Nedbank Cup and claim it,” Riveiro said.

With the Buccaneers visiting Chippa United over the weekend at the Nelson Mandela Bay Stadium, Riveiro has warned the teams that are yet to play Pirates that it's going to take something special from them to overcome the Buccaneers.

The Buccaneers have also been on a good run of form lately winning nine matches and losing three in the 12 matches played this year and Riveiro is pleased with how the results have come recently.

"At this point I believe we are getting it there and gradually improving, that's what we feel with the players and we still must and should in the future play better, now our objective is to finish as high as possible and that means we want to be second and represent South Africa in Africa next season," Riveiro added.

With the challenge for the top two finish set to go down to the wire, Pirates see themselves level on points with SuperSport United and Kaizer Chiefs at 40 points having a superior goal difference ahead of the two teams who are sitting third and fourth respectively on the log.

Kick-off at the Nelson Mandela Bay on Saturday afternoon is at 17:30.