Pirates lost 4-1 to Downs in a league match last weekend at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, failing to close the gap between them and the Brazilians.
The loss now sees the Bucs trailing Downs by nine points, with the Brazilians having collected 42 points in 15 games, while Pirates have managed to secure only 33 points.
Despite the defeat, Riveiro believes his squad is still strong and that they could have easily won the match had they taken their goal-scoring chances. However, he acknowledges that Sundowns were the better side on the day.
"The difference between the two teams will show at the end of the season, after 30 games," said Riveiro.
"Then we will see if we are on the same level, or if the difference is big, or if it's not. But today [Saturday] is just one game.
"The game can go in different directions. If we had scored in the first half, although in my opinion, Sundowns were better than us."
Marumo Gallants coach Alexandre Lafitte believes his side has what it takes to pull off another upset when they face Orlando Pirates in the Carling Knockout final at Peter Mokaba Stadium on December 6.
Orlando Pirates will enjoy home advantage when they take on Marumo Gallants in the 2025 Carling Knockout Cup final, after the Premier Soccer League (PSL) confirmed the venue and date for the much-anticipated clash.
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou was proud to see his side secure their place in the final of the Carling Knockout with a hard-fought 1-0 win over Richards Bay on Saturday.
Orlando Pirates secured their place in a second cup final this season after edging Richards Bay FC 1-0 in the Carling Knockout semi-final at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
