Jose Riveiro finds an excuse after Orlando Pirates' defeat to Stellenbosch as Steve Barker applauds referee for his 'superb' work and explains how Stellies were able to 'take care of Mofokeng'

Orlando Pirates' perfect start to the 2024/25 PSL season ended after enduring a 1-0 defeat to Stellenbosch FC on Sunday.

Bafana Bafana player Devin Titus netted a winner in the 33rd minute, propelling the Cape Winelands team into third place in the PSL standings.

The Buccaneers now occupy second place in the table, tied with log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns at 21 points.

Pirates coach Jose Riveiro and Stellies' Steve Barker have provided their views on the outcome of the match.

"I think it was the game that we expected to be played, we had a good beginning of the match, good 15, 20 minutes, with opportunities through Thabiso Monyane and Deon Hotto arriving well in the box in numbers and threatening early in the match as we planned to do," Riveiro told the media.

"We didn’t capitalise, it was difficult to play with an advantage in the central corridors, and the field was extremely dry as usual here when we played during the day. We couldn't manage to be precise enough in one of those situations. 

"Then in the central corridors, they found Titus in a good position to run in transition and he finalized the action well and they went up one-nil. We kept going, we kept trying, we tried everything we could in the second half,'' he added.

"We had good chances to equalise, but I don't think today it was a zero-point performance, but what can I say they scored one goal and we didn’t, three points for Stellenbosch, they fought incredibly for every action, for every matter and in the end they got three points, no dramas, nobody in invincible and we got our first league defeat."

"I personally want to give credit to the referee (Philangenkosi Khumalo) today, I think he was superb, similar to what we have experienced in continental football," Barker said after the match.

"He let a lot of things go that normally are blown up and just stop the affair, so he let the game flow which is good."

Both Pirates and Stellenbosch will focus on continental football for the weekend ahead.

Bucs will play against Egypt's Al Ahly at the Orlando Stadium for their Caf Champions League group stage encounter on Saturday, December 7.

Meanwhile, Stellies will be hosting the Botola Pro League leaders RS Berkane at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Sunday, December 8.