Milford FC players in training as they prepare for the Nedbank Cup semi-final clash against TS Galaxy KwaMhlanga on Sunday.
Image: BackpagePix
TS Galaxy head coach Adnan Beganovic insists his side have moved on from their humiliating defeat to Orlando Pirates, but standing in their way is a Milford FC side arriving with quiet momentum.
The two teams meet in a Nedbank Cup semi-final at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium on Sunday, with Galaxy looking to steady their season and Milford chasing a fairytale final.
For Galaxy, the shadow of their 6-0 thrashing still lingers, even if the club has tried to compartmentalise it.
“Ja, it’s also very important, but I think the FIFA break helped us a lot because it came at the best time for us after that tough game,” Beganovic said.
“It’s difficult to explain how we conceded all of those goals and why we struggled so much in that game.”
The break allowed Galaxy to reset, analyse and, crucially, move forward.
“We’ve had some meetings with them and wanted to analyse everything that happened in that game,” he explained.
“We explained it to the players and then immediately wanted to close that case.”
But while Galaxy look to rediscover their rhythm, Milford arrive with a form line that demands respect.
Their recent results paint the picture of a side capable of both resilience and attacking punch.
A commanding 5-0 victory over Baroka FC stands out as a statement performance, showcasing their ability to dominate when given space.
They also demonstrated their giant-killing credentials earlier in the competition, eliminating Sekhukhune United on penalties after a hard-fought 2-2 draw — a result that underlined both their character and composure under pressure.
Even in defeat, Milford have remained competitive.
A narrow 1-0 loss to Kruger United and a similar result against Midlands Wanderers suggest a team that is rarely outclassed, while their 2-2 draw with Cape Town City FC highlights their ability to match top-flight opposition.
That unpredictability mirrors Galaxy’s own season — a campaign defined by sharp contrasts.
From knocking out Mamelodi Sundowns earlier in the competition to suffering a heavy league defeat, the Rockets have shown both their ceiling and their vulnerability.
Beganovic is adamant the Pirates result was an anomaly.
“I think it’s the first time in two years that a game like that has happened,” he said.
“We tried to find reasons why something like that happened, and we also made the point not to allow this to happen in the future.”
He expects a very different performance on Sunday.
“We can’t allow anyone to show a huge difference between two teams,” he added.
“We don’t deserve that as players here have quality, which we have shown many times against the strongest teams in the country.”
With a place in the final at stake, the equation is simple. Galaxy must prove their consistency.
Milford, meanwhile, will look to extend their momentum and continue a run that has already captured attention.
For Beganovic’s men, this is about response while for Milford, it is about belief. And somewhere between those two narratives, a place in the final will be decided.