An inspired substitution saw Kabelo Dlamini come on to grab all three points for Orlando Pirates in their Betway Premiership clash against Richards Bay FC, and Buccaneers coach Jose Riveiro was left brimming with pride with the attitude shown by his players.
The attacking midfielder Dlamini was brought on just after the hour mark, and grabbed the winner with seven minutes remaining.
The 1-0 win meant the Soweto Giants continued their perfect start to the new season, with three victories from three matches.
All this while eternal rivals Kaizer Chiefs lost their first game of the campaign to Mamelodi Sundowns.
After the Richards Bay win, Riveiro lauded the character of his squad - even those that do not start every game.
Jose Riveiro praises the attitude of his Buccaneers 👏
— SuperSport Football ⚽️ (@SSFootball) September 29, 2024
The focus shifts to the MTN8 final on Saturday ➡️@Betway_za pic.twitter.com/jubD8tFUZc
Special contribution
“Everybody knows KB [Kabelo Dlamini] is capable to put one more cheer in the team when we need it. It didn’t work the way we expected to be honest, but it was good enough and his contribution was special with that excellent goal that gave us the three points,” said Riveiro.
“But the important thing is that everybody on the bench is ready to die for the team, even if it’s for just one minute. KB today was exceptional. Everybody showed a high commitment.”
With Pirates moving their attention to the MTN8 final over the weekend against Stellenbosch FC, Riveiro said it was vitally important his charges found a way to get the points from this fixture.
“It was a complex game to get the result, but we did it. That’s the most important thing. We got enough opportunities even in the first half to get the lead. But we had a different game ahead of us and we had to fight to the end, trying to find a hole to put the ball into the net.
"I will take the attitude of the players today. They were super from the first minute. It’s not easy to play these kinds of games before a final.”