Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou has shed light on the substitution of Patrick Maswanganyi during the MTN8 semi-final match against Mamelodi Sundowns in Tshwane.
Pirates beat Sundowns 4-1 on penalties to march into the final of the MTN8 for the fourth consecutive season, with the match having ended 2-2 on aggregate.
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The two giants played to a 1-1 stalemate during the first leg in Orlando, before settling for the same goal margin at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.
Bucs brought back Maswanganyi into the starting line-up after the Tembisa-born star had sat on the bench in the midweek Betway Premiership fixture against Stellenbosch FC at home.
However, ‘Tito’, as he is affectionately known, only lasted less than 45 minutes on the pitch as he was hauled off for Banele Shandu.
This move allowed Ouaddou to push danger man Kamogelo Sebelebele up front and slot evergreen Relebohile Mofokeng into the number 10 role.
Despite failing to give his best performance over the weekend, the Bucs coach still rates Maswanganyi as one of the key players in the squad.
“We have to be careful about that because Patrick is one of our best players. He is a top player. He is doing well for such long years in the club. I believe in him,” emphasised the ex-AS Vita mentor, speaking at the post-match press conference.
“I have been a professional football player for 17 years, and I can’t tell you how many times the coach has taken me out. It doesn’t mean I was a bad player, it's just today itwas not maybe his day. I still believe in him.
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“He is very important. We don’t know if he is going to be regular in the final, it's just today was not his day. It was a tactical choice,” he added.
The Soweto giants are set to switch focus to league matters as they host Orbit College FC at Orlando Stadium on Tuesday (19:30).