Mohafe Calls It A Joy To Work With Appollis
Polokwane City coach, Phuti Mohafe, has heaped praise on Oswin Appollis after his impressive performance in their 1-0 victory over Royal AM at Harry Gwala Stadium on Wednesday.
Appollis was instrumental in the win, consistently threatening the opposition defense with his skillful dribbling and creative play.
Although he was relatively quiet in the first half, he came alive in the second half, playing a crucial role in the buildup to Bonginkosi Dlamini’s decisive goal.
“What is so good about him today, it was, he was even going by crossing the ground side to side to go and defend. So, having him in the team, it’s massive credit for us,” said Mohafe.
“He gives us that element of surprise, he gives us that element of movement, he gives us that passing ability. Working with him, it’s incredible.”
This was the second win on the bounce for Polokwane having beaten Mamelodi Sundowns over the weekend. Mohafe impressively rested Manuel Kambala and Thabang Matuludi against Royal AM, who he said grafted so hard in the win over Sundowns. “I felt that they worked so hard against Sundowns,” added Mohafe.
Appollis’ recent form, including his impressive performance when he scored a brace for Bafana Bafana against South Sudan in September, has further cemented his status as one of the top attacking talents in the PSL. Polokwane City’s growing reputation as a talent factory is evident with three players called up to the provisional national team squad, which are Appollis, Matuludi, and Rodney Maphangule.
“It is good for us now that we have three players in the preliminary squad,” said Mohafe.
“For the team, it shows that we are growing as a team and we are progressing and that is what we need.”
However, Mohafe expressed his disappointment with the scheduling of fixtures, which sees his team facing Sundowns twice in a short period, with the game set to be played at Loftus Stadium on 6 November which is a short space of time after they have played each other.
He believes that such frequent encounters can disrupt the team’s rhythm and tactical preparations.