Photo Courtesy Orlando Pirates.
Orlando Pirates coach Jose Riveiro believes they deserved to beat Kaizer Chiefs in their Betway Premiership Soweto derby at FNB Stadium on Saturday.
In the sold-out derby, a late winner from the penalty spot courtesy of Patrick Maswanganyi was the difference between the two sides, with the Buccaneers clinching three crucial points after edging out their fiercest rivals.
Chiefs goalkeeper Bruce Buvuma had looked to have pulled off a crucial last-gasp save in injury time to thwart Mofokeng, who had surged into the penalty area, but it was aided by a pull from Njabulo Blom and the referee swiftly pointed to the penalty spot.
Maswanganyi stepped up to take the spot kick, producing an audacious chip that sent Bvuma the wrong way with seconds left on the clock.
“A well-deserved three points, we were better than Chiefs,” said Riveiro after the game. A well-deserved three points, we worked hard in the first half, we tried to push the game into our direction, and we managed to do that against a good team.
“We had clear chances to win the game in the first half with Tshegofatso Mabasa, and Deon Hotto, so yeah, these games are always tight, but yeah, I think I'm fair to say our team deserved to get the three points because we were better than our opponent.”
On Maswanganyi panenka penalty, Riveiro said: “The penalty? Look, not because I don’t trust the players but I don’t used to look to the penalty kick. It’s too much for me sometimes, to be sitting there and trying to anticipate what’s going to happen.
“But this time, and I’m not just trying to be cocky, I knew… Just leave it there, I knew.
“I knew that if something happens like this he’s going to take the ball because people sometimes want to be critic with Patrick [but] for me from a coaches perspective, give me players who always want to be on the ball in situations like this, in games like today, when things are not going well, he always wants to take the ball.”
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