Winning penalty brings tears of joy

Mokete “Makhokhoba” Mogaila became teary-eyed as he described what was going through his mind when he stepped up to score the winning penalty that sent Highlands Park to their first cup final in the Premier Soccer League era.

The lightning-quick winger sent man-of-the-match goalkeeper George Chigova the wrong way as Highlands roared to a 4-3 shootout win over Polokwane City in Tembisa on Tuesday to book a place in the October 5 final.

“Yeah it was a big stage but if you practise penalties frequently [you will get it right more often than not]‚” the University of Johannesburg (UJ) final year mathematical sciences student said.

Mogaila played in the Varsity Cup for UJ in 2018 before he joined Highlands in December.

“Around this time last year I was playing in the Varsity Cup and we lost at the semifinal stage through a penalty shootout‚ and I didn’t take a penalty in that defeat‚” he said.

“So I had regrets for the entire year to say ‘maybe I should have taken one for my team and maybe I could have made the difference for my team’.”

With Mohamed Anas having blasted his penalty over the crossbar‚ all Mogaila needed to do was put the ball in the back of the net.

“So now I could not just stand there and wait to regret again‚” he said.

“I have been practising penalties every single day and [on Tuesday] I got an opportunity to take one and I had to make sure I put the team first.

“It is a big achievement for me.”

Mogaila was introduced for Lindokuhle Mbatha with halfan-hour remaining and completely changed the complexion of the match with his tearaway runs and crosses.