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By Tshepo Ntsoelengoe

Football Journalist


Galaxy’s Mbunjana eager for Carling Knockout glory

'It is a whole new group that wants to achieve something, that wants to write their own history,' said the skipper.


When people talk about TS Galaxy, the first memory that comes to mind is the club upsetting Kaizer Chiefs when they beat them in the final of the Nedbank Cup.

Now, Galaxy captain Mlungisi Mbunjana says the current crop of players at the club also want to write their names in the history books of South African football by winning the inaugural Carling Black Label Knockout.

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Galaxy face Stellenbosch FC in the final of the Carling Knockout at the Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday.

It was back in 2019 when the Rockets shocked the football fraternity by beating Amakhosi 1-0 to lift the Ke Yona trophy. Since then, Galaxy have gained promotion to the top flight but have not been able to add another trophy to their cabinet

Mbunjana and company, however have a chance to make it possible by beating Stellies on Saturday.

“From that squad (that won the Nedbank Cup in 2019), none of those players are in the squad (anymore). So we are a whole different squad, different players a different technical team,” said Mbunjana,” who was called up on Thursday to Hugo Broos’ 50-man preliminary Bafana Bafana squad for next year’s Africa Cup of Nations finals.

“It is a whole new group that wants to achieve something, that wants to write their own history. I think it will mean a lot to us.

Reaching the final of the Carling Knockout is a huge morale booster for Galaxy, with the club having had to overcome the likes of Mamelodi Sundowns on their road to the final.

‘There is a lot of improvement’

Mbunjana says everyone at the team has been working hard to improve and reaching the final of the tournament is a sign that what Sead Ramovic’s charges are doing is working.

The Galaxy midfielder adds that they just have to believe in everything they are doing and show that they want it more than their opponent, to be able to lift the cup on Saturday.

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“I think if you look at every game we play, there is a lot of improvement from when we started where we are now. We just have to keep pushing and giving everything to make sure that we go all out to win the trophy,” he added.

“It will be good for us, for the team, and for everyone who is part of the Galaxy family, especially our supporters.”

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