Bafana Bafana forward Percy Tau has clarified the confusion around who was supposed to take the penalty that he missed against Mali and revealed the reaction from his teammates afterwards.
After Bafana were awarded a penalty against the Eagles early in the game in their Africa Cup of Nations group opener, there was seemingly confusion on who should take the spot-kick after Teboho Mokoena was initially having the ball towards the penalty spot.
However, Tau took the spot-kick and struck his shot over the crossbar. Hugo Broos' charges went on to lose 2-0 to Mali and there were discussions and doubts on whether the Al Ahly forward was designated to take that penalty.
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The 30-year-old has responded and says he was given the responsibility by his teammates and that he did not think twice about taking another penalty that he scored in a 4-0 win over Namibia.
"I disappointed them because they thought I was gonna score, so it was not nice, because they gave me the responsibility," Tau told journalists in Korhogo.
"And when I missed, it was like 'Ah, could've scored that one, could've changed the game' but they understand that it happens sometimes, it's football.
"I've been playing for my country for some time and I think I've given the country so much more than the missed penalty. I did not think twice, it's nice to rectify the mistake," he said.
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South Africa's confidence is expected to be high ahead of their last group game against Tunisia on Wednesday after a big win over the Brave Warriors but Tau went on and said they are not carried away by their biggest ever margin of victory at the AFCON.
"We'll try and give everything, I don't think this win gives us the feeling of being over the moon or to feel like we're doing great," he said.
"No, we're still grounded and we'll try to do everything in the last game because we know it could go either way, so we don't want to be only out in the last game.
"We'll give everything and hopefully we win, we play good football, create chances and score. It would be nice for us not to concede," he added.