Forek Academy coach, Mpumi Gamede said he was satisfied with his youthful and newly assembled side’s performance despite them going down 2-0 to top-on-the-table side, TS Galaxy in their first match of the Mpumalanga ABC Motsepe League. Forek fielded nine new players in their starting line-up against Galaxy as they had lost most of their regulars to other teams.
“This is a whole new team. In terms of match fitness, we were not on par with our opponents. We made two costly mistakes and they punished us, but I would like to give credit to my boys,” said Gamede.
The former Wits University player, Gamede, said he hoped his side would compete for a promotion. “Overall, I was impressed by the performance. Once we have all our new recruits registered, we will be a strong side. We have two Ghanaians and few promising youngsters from professional development structures of which we are waiting for their players to be sorted out,” he added.
The match took place at KaNyamazane Stadium in a chilly weather on Saturday afternoon. Five seconds was all it took for the Tim Sukazi-owned Galaxy to find the net through Sakhile Hlongwa – presumably the league’s quickest goal ever.
Supporters were still finding their seats when Hlongwa reeled off in celebration. Immediately from the kick-off, Forek wanted to build pressure from the back. However, Galaxy countered that pressure and they lost possession to Hlongwa. Untracked Hlongwa easily tapped and Forek-keeper Thabiso Mabitsela had no chance to stop the ball.
Forek enjoyed almost two-thirds of the possession, but seldomly posed a genuine threat. And for most of the ensuing 89 minutes, Forek probed but ultimately failed to break down the visitors’ back four that looked increasingly confidant. In the second minute of the second stanza, Forek should have equalised, but Godfrey Mlambo shot over the bar.
Just when everybody thought that the game would end 1-0, Sibisi Samkelo completed the rout with a goal from the scramble to take his side to the top in the ABC Motsepe League with six-points after two games. In their first match of the season, Galaxy beat Tjakastaad Junior Sheppards 3-1.
