Igor Makitan leaves the field after receiving a red card during the DStv Premiership 2021/22 match between Marumo Gallants FC and TS Galaxy at Peter Mokaba Stadium, Polokwane on Wednesday. (Samuel Shivambu/BackpagePix)
Igor Makitan will likely dread facing his TS Galaxy teammates after his costly error allowed Marumo Gallants to hand them a 3-1 thrashing in a DStv Premiership match on Wednesday evening.
Makitan was red carded in the 20th minute when Galaxy looked in control of the game and things changed for the worse.
Galaxy took control of the game early on, pinning Gallants back and creating some good chances. This left the home side to use a counter attack and this worked like magic.
In one of their counter attack moves, Igor Makitan was beaten for pace by Lerato Lamola and he elbowed him. This earned him a straight red card just 20 minutes into the match.
Gallants took the lead in the 34th minute through Thabo Nonyane who was allowed a free header inside the Galaxy box from a Joseph Molangaone corner kick.
Five minutes later, Gallants were 2-0 up with Sibusiso Kumalo finding the net with a well taken shot from close range.
With a man down, the Rockets were chasing shadows in the second half despite the three changes made at half time.
Sead Ramovic introduced Ethan Brooks, Wayde Lekay and McBeth Mahlangu who came on for Mxolisi Macuphu, Sphiwe Mahlangu and Lindokuhle Mbatha.
The changes made little difference with Gallants coming with continuous waves of attack. Letsie Koapeng came close to making it 3-0 in the 66th minute but his effort hit the crossbar with the keeper beaten.
He eventually found the net in the 84th minute finishing off Gallants’ enterprising move in the Galaxy box.
Lekay scored what was technically the last kick of the game to get one back for the Rockets. They remain in 14th place with just a point separating them from Swallows FC and Baroka FC below them.
Gallants are now in 12th place with 11 points after 12 games and looked good under the guidance of Dan Malesela.