While Tshepang Moremi gave Pirates the lead in extra time, it was Mabasa who effectively killed off the game in the 103rd minute.
Tshegofatso Mabasa finally grabbed some limelight in a difficult season for the Orlando Pirates striker on Saturday, as he netted in the Buccaneers’ 3-0 extra time victory over Stellenbosch FC in the MTN8 final.
ALSO READ: Sundowns’ Cardoso explains Mokoena absence
There was plenty of criticism of Pirates’ new head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou, after the Soweto giants lost their first two Betway Premiership matches of the season.
Mabasa bounces back
A lot of that centred around the Moroccan’s strange omission of Mabasa, who had topped the scoring charts for the Buccaneers in the two previous campaigns.
Ouaddou has been true to his promise, however, that Mabasa would get opportunities.
The 28 year-old came off the bench to make his first appearance of the season in the 1-0 league win over Stellenbosch on August 20. Mabasa, again as a substitute, then assisted Kamogelo Sebelebele’s key goal in the 1-1 draw with Mamelodi Sundowns in the second leg of the MTN8 semifinals three days later.
Mabasa also scored in the penalty shootout in that match as Pirates made a fourth consecutive MTN8 final.
A first league start of the season against Orbit College followed, and while he was again benched for the final, when Mabasa did come on in the 74th minute for Evidence Makgopa, he made an impact.
While Tshepang Moremi gave Pirates the lead in extra time, it was Mabasa who effectively killed off the game in the 103rd minute with Pirates’ second. Ouaddou ran over to celebrate with his striker.
‘He’s a player in the box’
“We had to find the solutions (against Stellenbosch], and I know the quality of players I have, and I know the competence they have,” Ouaddou told reporters after the match.
ALSO READ: Kwinika credits team ethic for Chiefs’ defensive excellence
I thought we could imbalance the opponents on the sides. That’s why I made the changes to bring players with speed, and it worked. I brought in Mabasa because I think he’s a player in the box.
“Don’t ask him to go to defend on the side and press. He’s not that type of player. He’s a player that needs to be served and given balls because when you give him good balls, he’s very efficient.”