TS Galaxy goalkeeper Marlon Heugh believes victory over Kaizer Chiefs in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 would be a big boost to the club’s survival bid in the DStv Premiership.
The teams will clash in a repeat of the 2019 Nedbank Cup final when then second-tier side Galaxy stunned Chiefs in the decider in Durban, claiming a late win thanks to a Zakhele Lepasa penalty.
But they currently sit bottom of the DStv Premiership standings after a difficult season to date, though Heugh believes the confidence gained in beating one of the leading sides in the country would be massive for The Rockets.
“I know we played against Chiefs in the cup final a few years ago,” he says. “You have to play against the best in the cup to win. It’s good to have a good opponent early on in order to push yourself and test yourself. You have to beat the best in order to win the Nedbank Cup.
“It will be a great achievement for us to win this cup again. There is less pressure in a cup compared to a league. We need a strong cup run and we can take that confidence and apply it to our league games.
“Every player in the league wants to win trophies. That is my goal and I want to achieve that goal before it gets to a situation where I can’t achieve it.
“We must forget the past and forget on the future. Chiefs have a lot to do and our focus might be more on the league but we will still look to do well in the cup. The cup for me is good to achieve but at the same time we must also focus on the league.”
Galaxy have failed to advance past the Last 32 since their win in 2019. They lost to Chippa United in 2020 and on penalties to second-tier TS Sporting in 2021 after a 0-0 draw.