Jose Riveiro, head coach of Orlando Pirates, has explained Patrick Maswanganyi’s absence during their goalless draw against Al Ahly at Orlando Stadium on Saturday.

Riveiro surprised many by omitting Maswanganyi from this fixture, as he was not even part of the matchday roster.

This is the second time Maswanganyi has been excluded from the Buccaneers’ matchday squad, having also been absent during their Betway Premiership match against TS Galaxy in October.

Following Saturday’s game, the Spanish coach shed some light on Maswanganyi’s unavailability but refrained from sharing full details regarding the reason for his absence.

“For reasons I cannot elaborate on, he was not available for selection today,” Riveiro mentioned.

“As I have stated several times, I don’t feel it’s my place to comment on anyone else’s health, only possibly my own.

“He was not included in the 20-man squad, and I believe we don’t need to… I’m unsure how to phrase this without creating a headline. Following this performance, it feels a bit disappointing to discuss one player I didn’t utilize.

“We should concentrate on the match where Monnapule [Saleng], Rele [Relebohile Mofokeng], and [Mohau] Nkota played extremely well; it was an impressive display. Just to clarify, he was unavailable for selection.”

In addition, Riveiro acknowledged that the Pirates could not play their usual style due to Al Ahly’s caliber but expressed optimism for their future performances.

“We encountered a formidable opponent, and they are not just tough due to their reputation; they have significant resources,” Riveiro noted.

“I’m unsure how much understanding you have of what unfolded in today’s match, but they couldn’t accomplish more. Credit to the Pirates players; their defensive concentration was exceptional.

“When up against teams like this, one must recognize that there will be times when they hold the advantage.

“I believe we had 55% possession throughout the 90 minutes, whereas we typically average around 60%, sometimes nearing 70%, especially at home.

“We need to accept these situations that force us to adopt a less comfortable playing style. We prefer maintaining control of the ball at all times.”

The Pirates are scheduled to play against the Ivorian powerhouse Stade d’Abidjan at Stade Félix Houphouët-Boigny in Ivory Coast on Saturday.