TS Galaxy gets European football exposure
The Rockets used this European tour as an eye-opener and an opportunity to return a stronger side for the remainder of the season.
It was a great moment in history for the Mpumalanga-based TS Galaxy team, which exposed the players to European football as they played their first-ever match in Europe in an effort to prepare for the second half of the DStv 2021/22 season.
Galaxy’s performance in the first half of the season was inconsistent. Before dropping their last seven games, they went undefeated in their previous first five games, when they were like a house on fire.
Galaxy started their first European tour game against Giresunspor FC of the Turkish Süper Lig, when they shared the spoils through a one-all stalemate thanks to Lindokuhle Mbatha who broke the deadlock, and the opposition later restored parity.
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On December 11, Galaxy were thrashed 5-1 by UC Sampdoria of Italian Serie A, when Bathusi Aubaas scored the conciliation goal through a powerful thunder strike. Galaxy played against Al Batin of the Saudi Arabian Pro League on December 12 when they shared the spoils thanks to a goal by Sibusiso Vilakazi. The Rockets wrapped their tour after succumbing to a 2-1 loss against the German team, Dynamo Dresden, which campaign in the third tier of the German football league.
Given Msimango told The South African media outlet that the team had learnt a lot from this European experience.
“This being my first European experience, I have tried to absorb as much as I can to help take my game to the next level.
“The training methods used in Europe have been different to what we are used to in South Africa,” Msimango added.
“Watching these European teams train, you can tell that the standard is higher. As a footballer, it’s always good to see players who, I can say, are at a much more advanced environment and you can only learn and grow from that.”
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The chairperson of TS Galaxy, Tim Sukazi, said on his Twitter account that the boys had learnt a great deal.
“We might not have won a match, but it was all a great tour and a very great learning curve,” Sukazi said on Twitter.
“The match against Sampdoria, one of the biggest team in the Italian Seria A, was of a great standard, as they used some of their first-choice players, which showed the importance of the game. The boys will use this experience to become better.”
On December 30, TS Galaxy will travel to the Harry Gwala Stadium in Pietermaritzburg to take on Maritzburg United as they resume the second half of the DStv Premiership.
