Now that the dust has settled over the hotly contested debate regarding the penalty that was awarded to Orlando Pirates in the dying minutes of the Soweto derby against their nemesis Kaizer Chiefs, I’d like to talk about Patrick Maswanganyi and why he’ll forever be remembered.
With the score tied at 0-0, three points on offer and bragging rights at stake, no one could’ve guessed that Maswanganyi would settle the biggest game on the PSL calendar with a Panenka. The audacity of the polarising dribbling wizard is unmatched and I dare say that we’ll never see anything like that again in the Soweto derby.
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Everyone at the FNB Stadium expected the left-footed maestro to thump the ball as hard as he could with what was literally the last kick of the game. I can only imagine what would’ve been the ramifications of missing a penalty in front of over 90,000 fans with a cheeky little lob. Let’s be honest, it would have been unforgivable and probably career suicide.
If there were ever any doubts that the much-maligned attacking midfielder is a showstopper, he proved at the Calabash, which hosted the 2010 FIFA World Cup final, that he belongs on the big stage. Yes, he divides opinions even among Pirates fans with what is perceived as showboating, but the name Patrick Maswanganyi could well be another phrase for ‘nerves of steel’.
It’s the most daring act I’ve ever seen in the Soweto derby and that is the stuff legends are made of. That piece of magic will be played for future generations to come, and I wouldn’t be surprised if there’s a documentary made about the 26-year-old’s individual brilliance last Saturday.
If we still talk about the great Jomo Sono climbing and standing on top of the ball, then Maswanganyi has just provided a highlight reel for decades to come. If you weren’t at the game and you were told that the fan-favourite chipped the ball down the middle and into the back of the net from 12 yards out, you wouldn’t have believed it.
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People always remember how you made them feel with your God-given talent on the field of play. If Maswanganyi keeps producing breath-taking moments like that and leads the Buccaneers to big trophies, then I think Sono’s retired jersey number 10 wouldn’t look out of place on him.
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