Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro has spoken about how he felt when Patrick Maswanganyi stepped up to take the crucial penalty in the Soweto derby on the weekend.
The Buccaneers defeated Kaizer Chiefs in front of a packed FNB Stadium on Saturday to move to 30 points as the race for the Betway Premiership title with defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns is getting tense.
Read: Late Drama As Pirates Silence Chiefs In Soweto Derby
Just as many thought the match was heading for a 0-0 draw, during the referee's added time Bucs were awarded a penalty after Amakhosi defender Njabulo Blom was adjudged to have pulled Relebohile Mofokeng in the box. The red-hot Pirates star still managed to take a shot but missed the target.
Referee Masixole Bambiso pointed to the spot after he had initially given an advantage to the attacking team.
Tito, as Maswanganyi is known in football circles, volunteered himself to be the man with the responsibility to win it for Bucs as he calmly slotted it in, in incredible Panenka style in the 94th minute.
The 26-year-old attacker was lauded for courage after he had his spot kick, just last month against Cape Town City, hit the upright and saved by Darren Keet in a match that ended in a 1-0 loss for Ezimnyama in the Mother City.
"I knew that if something like this happens, he's going to take the ball. As much as people criticise Patrick, for me (and) from the coaching perspective (he is doing well). Give me players that always want to be on the ball in situations like that, in games like today and when things are not going well. He always wants the ball. And he's making mistakes because he's putting himself on the line all the time. So, we are blessed to have a player like him around," said Riveiro, speaking to journalists after the match.
Read: Sundowns Coach Makes Plea To PSL
"As much as sometimes he is doing things that are not easy to understand, I want him to be himself on the field because that's the way we can get the best out of Patrick in each and every game. And I think today he showed that he has that kind of personality to ask for those moments when the situation is crucial and critical and not easy to take. There are not many personalities like that. Obviously, if it's not going well it's going to be…I know the discussion (criticism from fans). But I'm happy for him after what happened in Cape Town to get a responsibility today in a scenario like this one in the 94th minute. So, yeah, fantastic mentality," the coach said.
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