Percy Tau made South African soccer fans mal with an incredible Champions League debut on Tuesday night.
The Bafana Bafana star laid on Club Brugge’s opening goal as the Belgians came within five minutes of beating Real Madrid at home in a Group A match that finished 2-2.
The on-loan Brighton man was given his first start in the elite competition by coach Philippe Clement.
It had SA 2010 hero Siphiwe Tshabalala buzzing and he tweeted: “Percy Tau is on the starting line up tonight vs realmadrid. the #UCLdebut is imminent Proud moment.”
And Tau, who is already a cult hero at Brugge having been nicknamed the “Lion of Judah” in reference to his surname by the club’s fans, didn’t disappoint.
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/UCLdubut?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#UCLdubutis imminent 🕺🏾Proud moment 🇿🇦🙏🏾
Mfanaka ❤️ https://t.co/1uxKsxaZow
— Siphiwe Tshabalala (@siphiweshabba)
In the ninth minute, he drifted into space in the Real backline to receive a pass on the left-hand channel before setting up Emmanuel Bonaventure.
The pass was so good, the Nigerian even mishit it past Thibaut Courtois.
Sports pundit Robert Marawa celebrated the opening goal, tweeting: “That goal made in Africa! South Africa assisted and Nigeria finished! Percy Tau to Dennis Emmanuel...”
%%%twitter https://twitter.com/hashtag/uefachampionsleague?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#uefachampionsleague
— robertmarawa (@robertmarawa)
Bonaventure made it 2-0 at the break, before Real hit back with headers from skipper Sergio Ramos and Casemiro to snatch a point from the 10 men of Brugge after their captain Ruud Vormer was sent off for a second yellow.
Tau’s former Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane could also not hide his pride, tweeting a pictures of he and his protege.
He just can't stop making us proud🇿🇦 pic.twitter.com/ml6b1IQwmF
— Pitso Mosimane (@TheRealPitso) September 26, 2019