Durban – Marumo Gallants leaped out of the relegation zone with a convincing 3-1 win at home to TS Galaxy at the Peter Mokaba Stadium on Wednesday evening.
Gallants got their breakthrough in the 33rd minute as Joseph Malongoane delightfully floated a free kick into the box and Lehlohonolo Nonyane met it with a sublime header from the first post and put the home side 1-0 up.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa were in dreamland in the 38th minute as they carved Galaxy at will and in turn found their second goal. Gallants left-back, Lebohang Mabotja, played a devilish low cross for Sbusiso Khumalo to tap in from a tight angle.
FULL-TIME@_Marumogallants 3-1 @TSGALAXYFC#DStvPrem pic.twitter.com/PqiF7aBCUe
— Official PSL (@OfficialPSL) December 1, 2021
The third was a goal made from the bench as all three Gallants substitutes combined to break the Galaxy defense down. Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo won the ball off Ethan Brooks and passed to Monde Mphambaniso who then slid in Letsie Koapeng, who calmly fired into the bottom left corner of Vasilije Kolak’s goal.
Wayde Lakay spared The Rocket’s blushes as he fired a consolation shot into the top corner in added time to finish the game at 3-1.
Gallants started the game the brightest with Celimpilo Ngema pulling the strings in midfield. The former Uthongathi man played a neat one two with Lerato Lamola who was fouled just outside the box. Captain, Lehlohonolo Nonyane blazed the free kick over the bar.
The Rockets had the first real chance of the game in the 14th minute as Lindokuhle Mbatha, one of five changes made by coach Sead Ramovic to the starting 11, played a sublime pass over the Gallants defense for Sphwie Mahlangu but the winger’s shot-cum-cross was cleared of the line by Nonyane with keeper Washington Arubi beaten.
TS Galaxy were dealt a huge blow midway through the first half as in the 20th minute as they had defender, IGor Makitan, sent off for a wrestling-like tackle on Lamola.
The Bosnian international was caught in no man’s land as a bad pass from Ebrahim Seedat gave Lamola the chance to face the defender one on one, but realising he was beaten for pace, the Galaxy defender threw an arm at the Gallants attackers face and thereafter received his marching orders.
Galaxy rang the changes in the second half with Brooks forming part of a triple change by the bench as the side from Mpumalanga looked for a way back into the match.
In the 56th minute , Half time substitute, Wayde Lakay almost pounced from a second ball off Nonyane, the Galaxy striker was wasteful, however, as he fired over the bar from inside the box.
The Gallants bench introduced midfield dynamo Ndlondlo and winger Mpambaniso as they sought to wrestle back control of the game and see out a perfect home performance.
Gallants return to CAF Confederations Cup commitments on Sunday and will attempt to overturn a 1-0 first leg deficit against TP Mazembe at the Thohoyandou Stadium at 16:00. Galaxy will attempt to bounce back against Chippa United at the Mbombela stadium on Tuesday next week at 17:30.
IOL Sport