Mohafe reveals how City suffocated Downs

City coach explains they denied champs space to claim famous win

Neville Khoza Journalist
Polokwane City goal celebration during the Betway Premiership match between Polokwane City and Mamelodi Sundowns at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on October 27, 2024 in Polokwane.
Polokwane City goal celebration during the Betway Premiership match between Polokwane City and Mamelodi Sundowns at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on October 27, 2024 in Polokwane.
Image: Philip Maeta

After their famous 1-0 victory over Mamelodi Sundowns in the Betway Premiership match at Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday, Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe believes it will inspire confidence as they look to finish in the top eight again this season.

Rise and Shine stunned Sundowns with a strike from Bulelani Nikani eight minutes from time to seal the three points that saw them move to fourth on the log table.

Last season, Polokwane finished eighth on the table and Mohafe said wins like this will help them to achieve their objective.

“It's an important win for the team, it put us in the top eight because we don't want to move out from there,” Mohafe told the media after the match.

Mohafe revealed the secret ingredient to their big win saying the plan was to deny them spaces.

This is not the first time they frustrated Sundowns after they did the same in the MTN8 quarterfinal before losing in extra time.

“It is the ingredient we are using against them; I think it is working for us,” he said.

“We came up with a plan of giving them the spaces on the sides to become narrow. And pounce on them when they have the ball when they play those diagonal balls on the sides, and we have to press them quicker and win the second ball.

“We made sure that we had to win the second balls and to close the channels. We made sure the movement they were making behind us, and we neutralised that and it helped us in this match. We had to suffer without the ball.”

Mohafe refused to take credit alone saying it was a team effort, and his technical team also deserves praise.

“I think it is not about me but the whole technical team and the whole supporting structure of how we are doing things in the team."

Rise and Shine will be eager to build on that when they visit Royal AM at Harry Gwala Stadium tomorrow.

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