BLOEMFONTEIN: The celebration in the Marumo Gallants camp after their narrow 2 − 1 win over Chippa United FC in a Premier Soccer League (PSL) fixture on Sunday, 19 October, told a story of immense relief. The hosts secured this win at the Dr R.P. Molemela Stadium.
The win brought double joy − relieving the club of the immense pressure that followed a four-match winless run, as well as offering the club’s chairman, Dr Abram Sello, a gift on his birthday.
The Gallants grabbed the vital winning goal at the death of the encounter − when it seemed impossible considering the visible disappointment on the faces of the players and technical team after Chippa had equalised in the 87th minute to make the score 1 − 1.
The visiting team from the Eastern Cape levelled matters after a defensive blunder failed to thwart the danger.
However, the Gallants’ newly signed player Agnikoi Eroine brought the team back to life, scoring the all-important goal in the 95th minute to make it 2 − 1 and dashing any hopes Chippa had of equalising again.
He connected with a well-taken corner, beating the goalkeeper at the far post. The Ivory Coast-born defender inspired wild celebration among the team and fans, sprinting 100m across the pitch to celebrate with fans in the south stand after scoring with this fine header at the death of the match.
Eroine resembled a contender in a race for Olympic gold, outsprinting everyone, including his teammate Washington Arubi, who tried to catch him in the process. The “sprinter” was duly rewarded for his exploits on the pitch with the PSL man of the match trophy.
It was the third win of the season, and the second on home turf, for the Gallants, ending the winless run. The team captain conceded that the crucial moment in turning the tide was nerve-wracking.
“It was indeed a bit painful, especially after they equalised, but sometimes you must go through it. “
“After all, it was about the belief today that we must win this game; we really wanted to win this game. I’m happy with the team effort, especially for rising to the occasion when it seemed we were going to draw again. I’m really thankful to the fans for pushing us to rise and fight to get the winning goal,” said Arubi.
His sentiment about the fans inspiring the team to fight was a reference to a fan in the pavilion who was heard shouting instructions to the Gallants players, saying, “Come on guys, apply sense of agency!”
The visitors capitalised on the Gallants’ lapses in concentration to equalise, courtesy of Bienvenu Eva Nga. Distress was visible among the Gallants, contemplating the prospect of the win slipping away.
However, Eroine changed the course of the prevailing scenario.
The Bahlabane Ba Ntwa scored first in the second half, via Christopher Sithole, who beat Chippa’s international goalkeeper Stanley Nwabali with a low strike.
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