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Msimango explains how the goal that saved TS Galaxy came about
“I felt we were on the backfoot yet we were getting a lot of set pieces and not utilising them," says Msimango
Given Msimango of TS Galaxy scored an influential goal against Chippa United on Saturday. Picture: Samuel Shivambu/Backpagepix
They say ‘cometh the hour, cometh the man’ and this rang true when TS Galaxy captain Given Msimango felt inspired and ran up to score the goal that saved the club’s DStv Premiership status.
Msimango was the hero for the Rockets as his goal sealed a 1-0 win over Chippa United in their last DStv Premiership match of the season in Port Elizabeth on Saturday.
It also ensured that the Rockets live to fight another day in the top flight. They would however still have survived with a goalless draw after Swallows also failed to hold on to their lead against Kaizer Chiefs on the same day.
“What a time man… What a time for my first goal to come,” said Msimango who was scoring for the first time in the Galaxy colours. “But I am just happy with how the season has panned out in terms of the attitude as a team.
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“This game just proved that we have the fighting spirit which we have had since the start of the second round of matches. We had put ourselves in that situation and it was up to us to get us off it.
“I am happy that we were able to get the three points and save the club’s status – that was the priority. And in terms of getting my first goal, I am delighted, yeah. It helped the team get the points.”
Msimango says he just felt inspired to sprint up when they were awarded a corner in the dying minutes of the game. And, as fate would have it, the ball fall kindly at his feet and he sweetly sliced it home.
“It was a moment of the game where I felt we were on the backfoot yet we were getting a lot of set pieces and not utilising them. When we were awarded that last corner, I told myself, ‘let me just go up, something might happen’.
“The ball ricocheted to my feet and I had to just finish… It was one of those moments where you position yourself well to be able to capitalise on opportunities in the box.”
On whether they were aware of other results on the day, he said: “We were not aware of what was happening in other games. We had made it a point that we would not be tracking what was happening in other games and just focus on our game. We only found the scores at the end.”
