‘We were lucky that we were slow on the bench and he managed to score first!’ said the Pirates head coach.
Orlando Pirates head coach Jose Riveiro admitted that he was about to substitute Monnapule Saleng, when the Pirates attacker finally broke the deadlock in their DStv Premiership 3-0 win over Polokwane City on Tuesday night.
ALSO READ: Pirates hammer City to maintain perfect start
Saleng rifled in a brilliant near-post finish in the 55th minute, and was then taken off four minutes later and replaced by Karim Kimvuidi.
Pirates’ Riveiro – ‘He felt some pain’
The 26 year-old Saleng now has four goals in all competitions for the Buccaneers this season.
“He (Saleng) felt some pain, I am not sure (what), but three minutes before he scored he was asking to be substituted,” Riveiro told SuperSport TV after the match.
“We were lucky that we were slow on the bench and he managed to score first!”
The Pirates head coach believed his side actually played better in the first half of Tuesday’s game, even though all three goals came in the second half.
Evidence Makgopa came off the bench to grab a late brace, down to some alert finishing from him and some dismal defending from Rise and Shine.
“It was a good first half, (we had it) totally under control. The second half was super strange, with a lot of interruptions, without rhythm and with less control, but we scored three goals,” said Riveiro.
“Maybe the good work in the first half allowed us more space in the second, the opponent was more tired.”
Polokwane City head coach Phuti Mohafe, meanwhile, blamed lapses in concentration for his side’s defeat.
‘Giveaway goals’ against Pirates
Saleng wasn’t well marked for his opener, while City goalkeeper Manuel Sapunga pushed Kimvuidi’s shot straight back to Makgopa for Pirates’ second. A poor back pass then allowed Makgopa to steal in and toe poke the ball past Sapunga in stoppage time.
ALSO READ: Sundowns blow away Gallants on Heritage Day
“All the goals we conceded were giveaway goals,” Mohafe told SuperSport TV.
“I think it was just a lapse of concentration. We played well, there were moments in the game where we … controlled the match, but the mistakes we made ended up as goals (for Pirates).”
