Cape Town - Orlando Pirates youngster Yusuf Maart has expressed his delight after making his first team debut for the Sea Robbers in the Nedbank Cup against EC Bees.
The player has made his name for Pirates' MultiChoice Diski Challenge team, where he finished second with seven goals in the club's goal scoring charts.
"I had mixed emotions. I was excited and nervous at the same time...excited because this was a dream come true but also nervous because of the weight of expectation," Maart told the club's official website.
"This is not an ordinary jersey, many great players have worn it and many of them have left their mark and I would like to do the same one day.
“When the coach called me to come on I became extremely nervous and I think the coach sensed it because he tried calming my nerves. He told me to relax and enjoy the last minutes of the match.
"The nerves kicked in again when the substitution board went up and my number was displayed in green next to Oupa Manyisa.
"Overall, I am thankful for the opportunity that the coach gave me and I look to build on this milestone.
"There is a lot of work to be done but I think I am ready. I feel there is more to come from me but I want to take things slowly and not get ahead of myself too soon."