Fortune favours the brave‚ and on balance of chances missed recently‚ Orlando Pirates perhaps got the rub of the green with their offside goal against Highlands Park on Tuesday night‚ coach Rulani Mokwena said.
Pirates’ 1-0 Absa Premiership victory at Makhulong Stadium came thanks to Tshegofatso Mabasa’s 80th-minute strike‚ where the striker was at least a metre offside collecting Linda Mntambo’s pass.
Mokwena was reluctant to comment on the match officiating blunder that led to his team’s winner‚ saying he had not seen the replay yet.
The Pirates coach’s position on the left-sided bench‚ though‚ would have given him a front-row seat on the proceedings of the goal on that side of the field.
“No comment. I haven’t seen it yet‚” Mokwena said.
He added: “I think things even themselves out at the end of the season.”
Told that the TV replays showed the goal was offside‚ Mokwena responded: “I wouldn’t comment on the nature of the goal.
“Look‚ in the history of the PSL‚ I think I was reading in one of the publications‚ we have had a record of 32 shots in 90 minutes and we didn’t even score a goal [in an unspecified game this season].
“So sometimes‚ like I say‚ things even themselves out‚ and the rub of the green falls on your side.
“Fortune favours the brave‚ and credit to the players for being on the receiving end of that.”
The victory came at a fortuitous time for Pirates.
They now face two Soweto derbies against Kaizer Chiefs in the space of a week.
Bucs would not have wanted to enter that programme on the back of poor form that saw Mokwena go to just two victories‚ before beating Highlands‚ in his nine matches since the departure of Milutin Sredojevic as head coach early this season.
Pirates’ first derby is in their Telkom Knockout quarterfinal against Chiefs at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.
They then meet Maritzburg United in the league at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday‚ before next Saturday’s (November 9) league derby at FNB Stadium.
