TS Galaxy shift focus to Betway Premiership after gritty Nedbank Cup Win

Relieved TS Galaxy coach Adnan Beganovic praised his side after they ended a two-match league losing streak with a hard-fought extra-time victory over Marumo Gallants in the last 32 of the Nedbank Cup.

The Rockets have secured their place in the last 16 of the tournament and will be hoping for a better outcome this time around following last season’s exit at the hands of Durban City. Heading into the match, Galaxy were coming off two consecutive league defeats and were dealt a tough hand, facing a top-flight opponent in a crucial fixture that put Beganovic and his players under considerable pressure.

Galaxy’s recent league form has often been hampered by missed opportunities. Despite creating numerous chances, the Mbombela-based side has struggled to be clinical in front of goal.

Against Gallants, a similar pattern emerged, but this time the Rockets managed to secure the win — though finishing remains a key area for improvement as they shift focus to two tough upcoming away league fixtures against Durban City and Siwelele FC.

A Victor Letsoalo header handed the Rockets the crucial winning goal in the first half of extra time. Pleased with the result, Beganovic said his team deserved the victory after dominating the play.

“I am so happy about how we played today; we created so many opportunities,” Beganovic told SuperSport after the match. “We hit the crossbar and scored a beautiful goal, and it was exactly how we prepared for this game. I am happy that my team advanced to the next round. We will take it game by game, and we will see from there.”

The Rockets, aiming for a top-half finish in the league, faced a Gallants side that has not won in seven games and that they recently beat 2-0 in a league encounter at Mbombela Stadium. Beganovic was pleased with how his team managed the pressure from the visitors, as well as the challenging weather conditions on the day.

“We knew that it was going to be a difficult game, and we wanted to save our energy and control the game throughout the 90 minutes,” he said.

“We had a chat in the dressing room that we need to stay compact and use the space on the sides to try and put good crosses into the box. I think we had success because we created so many opportunities.

“We needed to make so many changes to deliver that ball into the box, with many rotations on the sides, and the whole team was involved in that process. I give all the credit to all the players, even those that came on from the bench. We played like a team, and we won like a team.”

Galaxy will now turn their attention back to league action as they prepare to visit the Citizens this weekend at the Chatsworth Stadium, aiming to climb further into the top half of the table.