After nearly 13 months, Jeremy Brockie scored a league goal, his first for Sundowns. (Gallo Images)
Did you catch that rare sighting last night? You’d be forgiven for rubbing your eyes in disbelief, such has been the scarcity with which the Kiwi has frolicked in his natural habitat of late.
But he did it. After nearly 13 months, Jeremy Brockie scored a league goal, his first for Sundowns. Masandawana went on to beat Free State Stars 3-1 after Gastón Sirino added a brace and are looking ahead to Saturday and an enticing clash with Orlando Pirates.
“On Monday when I found out I was starting, I felt quite confident and told a few people that I think I’m going to break the ice,” Brockie revealed after training at Chloorkop on Thursday afternoon. “And what better way to do it than setting up a nice volley for me to put in the back of the net.”
He’s not wrong about that. His half-volley connected sublimely with Lebogang Maboe’s cross and a fraction of a second later the bottom corner violently bulged. He didn’t bother to hide the elation that spread across his face: this was his moment.
“The hardest part is mentally trying to deal with it,” he continued. “Ever since I arrived in the country I’ve scored goals consistently and then I got the move that I wanted to Sundowns. I knew it was going to be difficult but I thought I would have adapted a little bit quicker.
“I definitely want more. I feel very good for Saturday. I think now that the first one’s out of the way in a competitive game, hopefully they start free flowing and keep myself in the starting XI and help the team to the top of the table were they should be.”
He just scored his first but Brockie revealed he is still targeting the Golden Boot. Funny thing is, despite his drought, he’s not far behind the leading scorers — Khama Billiat, Evans Rusike and Vincent Pule all of four.
Fortunately for him, he may well get his chance to double his tally in yellow as soon as Saturday when the Buccaneers visit Loftus. If Pitso Mosimane does decide to unleash the Kiwi Assassin, he will need no motivation to fire past the log leaders.
Brockie sighed that as the months carried on without a strike, “more people start talking and hide behind their phones on socials and give you a lot of stick”. “Most of them are Pirates and Chiefs fans that do that so I’m really looking forward to Saturday,” he joked.