Patrick Maswanganyi Reflects on “Lucky” Victory Over SuperSport United in Nedbank Cup

Orlando Pirates playmaker Patrick Maswanganyi has admitted that the team was “lucky” to defeat SuperSport United in their Nedbank Cup quarterfinal clash, after a dramatic penalty shootout.

A Nervy Quarterfinal Victory

The match, which took place in Polokwane, ended 2-2 after 120 minutes of football, sending it to a penalty shootout. Despite some nervy moments, Pirates triumphed 5-4 in the shootout to secure their place in the semifinals.

Maswanganyi, who had been sidelined with an injury sustained during a league match against Cape Town City, made his comeback in the 70th minute, replacing Mohau Nkota. He was one of the penalty takers in the shootout and scored, helping the Buccaneers progress. However, the shootout wasn’t without its challenges, as teammates Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo, Vincent Pule, and Christian Saile all saw their attempts saved.

Maswanganyi’s Honest Assessment

Reflecting on the match, Maswanganyi acknowledged that Pirates had not played their best football and that the team had relied on luck to secure the victory.

“I think it’s all about fighting together, not giving up,” Maswanganyi said. “We know sometimes in football you are not always going to have your best game and I think this is one of those games where we felt like we could have done more but we didn’t.”

He also highlighted missed opportunities, particularly in the first half, where Pirates could have sealed the game.

“We had opportunities to finish the game in the first half and we had opportunities to make sure we wrap up this game… but it’s football. We were just lucky to go to penalties. I think they had better chances than us to score in the later stages of the match.”

Learning from the Win

Despite the win, Maswanganyi sees it as a valuable learning experience for the team. “I think it’s something we can learn from going forward to another game,” he added.

Focus Shifts to the League

Pirates now shift their focus to Betway Premiership action, where they trail log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns by 16 points but still have four games in hand. The next challenge for the Buccaneers will come on Tuesday against Stellenbosch FC, who were recently knocked out of the Nedbank Cup by Kaizer Chiefs. The match is set to take place at Athlone Stadium at 19:30.

While they continue their cup run, Pirates will be eager to mount a challenge in the league as they aim to narrow the gap on Sundowns and stay competitive in the title race.