Penalty shootout hero Ofori praises Pirates supporters

Richard Ofori was full of praise for Orlando Pirates supporters after helping Bucs reach the semifinals of the Caf Confederation Cup.

ALSO READ: Ofori penalty takes Pirates to Confederation Cup semifinals 

The Buccaneers reached into the last four of the continental tournament following their 4-3 penalty victory over Simba SC in the second leg at the Orlando Stadium.

The game had to be decided on penalties after the teams were tied on a 1-1 aggregate. Simba won the first leg 1-0 and Pirates also won by the same scoreline in the second leg on Sunday.

Ofori was the hero for the Sea Robbers, as he saved a penalty and scored the winning spot-kick that took Bucs closer to the continental title.

“The game was very tough, we had a good game from the start until the end. We thank the fans for their amazing support since day one. Since they opened the stadium for the supporters, they have been supporting us from home to the stadium. So this is a very important win for the country, for the fans and for our families,” Ofori told the Pirates media after the game.

“I would like to say a very big thank you to the fans and the players, because we fought since the start of the game to the end and we got the victory.”

Meanwhile, Pirates defender Innocent Maela, echoed Ofori’s sentiments on the role the club fans have played in their journey and added that they had a proper plan for the game against Simba.

“We had a plan for the match and we also knew that if we get one goal we should not panic, we should just stick to the plan and make sure we manage the game well. At the end of the day, we are victorious. We would like to thank our supporters for coming out in their numbers. We dedicate this win to our families, coaches and everyone who came here (to the Orlando stadium),” said Maela.

Pirates have been drawn against Libyan side Al-Ahli Tripoli in the last four of the tournament, with the first leg set for 8 May and the return leg on 15 May.