Orlando Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine has opened up on his journey to becoming the club's first choice after his heroics in the MTN8 final.
Chaine was the star of the show that could not produce goals in 120 minutes in the final, as he saved three penalties for the Buccaneers and inspired them to a 3-1 shootout win, as they retained the MTN8 trophy.
The former Chippa United shot-stopper says he could not have written the script that he will be the one inspiring the Soweto giants to win back-to-back MTN8 trophies.
READ | Pirates successfully defend MTN8 title
"I'd like to give glory to God, the Lord and my Saviour Jesus Christ, he's been with me when things have been tough, it has not been an easy journey," Chaine told SuperSport TV.
"I mean no words can describe how much I'm thankful to them. I couldn't, I can't even believe myself, it's only the glory, the grace, His mercy, His favour upon my life, has been unbelievable.
"Coming into the game it wasn't an easy game, they beat us in the league at home, a bit of a bitter one, we came back here to put everything on our head and to say whatever happens we'll come out victorious," he said.
"But I didn't think this was the way God planned it to be but I appreciate all the Buccaneers that came out in numbers and ja, no words can describe how I'm feeling today."
The 26-year old was not expected to be the number one goalkeeper so soon at Pirates after he was bought from Chippa in September last year and says he's overwhelmed by his journey and the position he now finds himself in.
"Where can I start? I said earlier it's by the grace of God that I'm here, where no one expected me to be where I am today. When I was just a small boy from Bloemfontein, who started off very far you know," he went on.
"My journey, unbelievable. I can only say that I'm the product of His grace, each and everyday I go to training to work hard, to get better but he's the master planner, he knows what he has in store for you. All I can do is to just put my trust in Him."
Chaine was asked the secret to saving three successive penalty kicks and he said there was no special preparation to it and suggested that it happened in the spur of the moment.
"I really don't know, I might try and say 'Ja, we do some homework' ja we do some homework but at the end of the day it went our way today and we thank God so much," he added.
