Veteran shot-stopper Washington Arubi has reacted to Marumo Gallants’ remarkable CAF Confederation Cup breakthrough.
Marumo Gallants broke through to the semifinals of the prestigious continental club competition.
They outwitted Egyptian side Pyramids to write a new piece of history for the club, something which Washington Arubi had been craving for.
Bahlabane Ba Ntwa beat Pyramids 1-0 in the second leg of their quarter-final on Sunday evening.
And they qualified 2-1 on aggregate, having drawn 1-1 in the first-leg played in Cairo a fortnight ago.
WHY WASHINGTON ARUBI IS ON CLOUD NINE
And captain Washington Arubi was one of the standout performers, as he kept Pyramids attackers, including Bafana star Fagrie Lakay at bay.
The former Zimbabwe national team goalkeeper is on cloud nine that they have managed to go beyond expectations.
“We fought hard for this. As a team, we have shown character because, despite the challenges we face, everyone is fighting hard to help the team win,” Arubi said.
“The strikers have been scoring. We have been keeping clean sheets. Everyone has tried to balance the assignments we have.
“Continental competitions come with their own challenges, but we have managed to rise. That alone is enough to make us happy and hope to go past the next challenge.”
Before Marumo Gallants, Washington Arubi played in continental club competitions with Zimbabwe’s Dynamos.
But he never reached the money-spinning semifinals. Marumo Gallants will face Young Africans of Tanzania in the semifinals of the CAF Confederations Cup.
MARUMO GALLANTS’ CONTRASTING FORTUNES
As Marumo Gallents excel on the African Safari, they have more work waiting for them in the DStv Premiership.
After 27 rounds of matches, Marumo Gallants are 14th on the log standings with 28 points on their tally.
They are just two points above Chippa United, who are 15th, a position that means they will go for relegation play-offs.
Simply put, Gallants must win all the remaining matches in order to preserve their PSL status.
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