Misfiring Rockets face tough test at Sekhukhune

TS GALAXY have had such wretched form on the road this season that it is surprising that they are still in the hunt for a top-eight finish. The Rockets have accumulated a mere eight points out of a possible 33 in their away matches.

They have their impressive home record of nine wins, two draws and one defeat to thank for their best campaign since their promotion to the elite league. The club owned by Tim Sukazi have garnered the most points in their Premiership history and can still improve on that with six matches still to go before the end of the DStv Premiership campaign.

You will, however, struggle to find anyone betting on them adding anything to that points tally in tonight’s clash away to a Sekhukhune United side that is also enjoying a season to remember. Hammered 3-0 by Mamelodi Sundowns on Monday night, Galaxy will seek to redeem themselves at the Peter Mokaba Stadium tonight against Lehlohonolo Seema’s side.

But for a team that has scored a mere four goals while shipping 13 in away matches, redemption is definitely going to come hard in Polokwane – especially given that their opponents are also eyeing a finish in the top eight.

Sekhukhune are in fourth place despite having being involved in the CAF Confederation Cup and though it is unlikely they will finish any higher, Babina Noko will surely do their best to hold on to that spot. And victory over a Galaxy outfit that beat them 2-0 in the first round will go a long way towards ensuring that.

Both sides go into tonight’s match on the back of defeats to Mamelodi Sundowns at Loftus Versfeld – the Rockets smashed 3-0 on Monday while Sekhukhune lost 2-1 to the Brazilians last week Tuesday.

The hosts will feel they held their own against a Brazilians side that rushed to a 2-0 lead within the first 10 minutes of the match. Seema had said after the match that his team should have at least got a point on the balance of play.

He would have thus had a lot to build on and Sekhukhune might prove too strong for a Galaxy side likely to still be reeling from the defeat and perhaps also a little tired with just three days’ rest in-between the matches.

It makes for an intriguing clash that should excite, what with the three points at stake sure to prove crucial in the battle for the top eight positions that remain open to a number of clubs still.

There can be no denying, though, that Galaxy’s pathetic record on the road makes Sekhukhune – who have been fairly good at home with six wins, four draws and three defeats – the slight favourites for tonight’s match. And the losses came in their first three matches, the last of those way back in October. They have been unbeaten ever since.

Football, though, is a sport pretty hard to predict.