The diminutive Nigerian winger Hilary Gong surprisingly scored with a header, which made the score 2:2 and saved Spartak at least a point as they were already on the verge of losing their second league match in a row. However, he scored through an header in the 85th minute of the match in Žilina.
“It was a tough, really tough match. Losing 0:2 wasn’t easy, but then we came back and managed to equalize. It’s a good point for us, we have to take it, as the match wasn’t going well for us. It’s something we can bounce back from in the next rounds,”
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Said the Nigerian immediately after the match, who closed the scoring film of the 9th round’s winner at 2:2 at the end of the match near Dubň. A two-goal lead was not enough for Žilina. Spartak Trnava came to life after the opponent’s second goal.
Hillary Gong was one of twelve summer arrivals to Spartak, but on the pitch, accounting the cup duels that Trnava has so far played only with amateur teams from lower competitions (AC Nitra, Beluša), he last appeared in August in a thrilling rematch of the 3rd preliminary round of the Conference League against Universitatea Craiova.
In Žilina, he got a chance from the bench when coach Michal Ščasný sent him onto the pitch in the 55th minute with the intention of moving the Žilina defense and tormenting the defensive players in yellow-green jerseys with runs behind the defense, he admitted at the post-match press conference.
“It could be an important moment for me too. I’m not in the starting lineup right now, but step by step, match by match, with God’s grace, it could change. Football is about waiting for the right opportunity and when you get it, even those few minutes can help, both in terms of performance and confidence,” said the 26-year-old winger.
