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Arubi confident Marumo can progress in CAF Confed

Odd stacked against Usuthu after home loss

Neville Khoza Journalist
Washington Arubi of Marumo Gallants.
Washington Arubi of Marumo Gallants.
Image: Philip Maeta/BackpagePix

Marumo Gallants goalkeeper Washington Arubi has promised they will overturn the 1-2 defeat they suffered in the CAF Confederation Cup first leg against Futuro Kings in Equatorial Guinea on Saturday.

Gallants secured an away goal amid the upheaval leading up to the match, where they travelled with just 13 first team players. This was after several squad members were not registered, with others facing passport and visa complications.

With the second leg set for Peter Mokaba Stadium on Friday (3pm), Arubi, who only arrived a few minutes before kickoff, believes they have enough quality to progress to the second round.

“The guys pushed though it was a tough game. At least we managed to score an away goal though we lost. That was a good game,” Arubi told the club’s media department.

“We are already looking forward to the return leg, and I promise we will bounce back. The way the guys put in the effort, I’m seeing us going through to the next round. For now, we are not thinking about the next round. We are thinking about the next game in which we have to bounce back. They are a good side, [but] we will manage to turn the tables and go through.”

Arubi insisted that his late arrival didn’t have a negative impact on his performance. He was criticised by coach Sebastian Migne, who believes Arubi conceded a soft goal.

He was with the Zimbabwe national team that played Ethiopia in the 2022 Qatar Fifa World Cup last week. He travelled to Zimbabwe before returning to SA to connect to Equatorial Guinea.

“It was tough but at the end of the day I had to do that [travel] because I’m contracted to the team.

The club wanted me to be here, so at least I managed to get here around 2pm and managed to play at 4pm and I didn’t feel anything, which means mentally and physically I’m always on point,” he said.

Meanwhile, AmaZulu have a mountain to climb after losing 0-1 to Nyasa Big Bullets in their Champions League preliminary round at home on Friday.

Usuthu have to win away on Saturday to have any chance of going to the second round.

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