Mohafe: Injuries And Form Dip Cost Us

Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe believes that injuries and a dip in form have prevented his team from having a more comfortable cushion in the top eight as the season draws to a close.

This admission came after Polokwane City fought back to secure a 1-1 draw against AmaZulu in their Betway Premiership encounter at King Zwelithini Stadium on Friday night.

The draw resulted in Polokwane City dropping to seventh place in the league standings with 33 points after 26 matches, just one point behind sixth-placed AmaZulu.

Rise and Shine were among the standout performers in the first half of the season, alongside Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. They consistently occupied a position within the top three or four. However, their form has dipped, and they haven’t secured a victory since 30 March when they defeated Richards Bay.

“I can say we started the season very well; we were flying,” Mohafe acknowledged.

“One thing that hampered us, the progress of the team was the injuries that we had. Those injuries delayed us, they delayed the progress, because we are a team that is playing similar to AmaZulu. 

“We are using mostly the fullbacks to attack, and our offensive structure was dismantled of that. 

“But we are trying to get it right in terms of what we have. What we have, we are doing well under the circumstances because they are not offensive as those who have been injured. 

“But we are pushing on. The second thing that killed was in February, we had too many games away.”  

Key players Oswin Appollis and Thabang Matuludi were instrumental in Polokwane’s strong start to the season.

Matuludi, a promising 26-year-old right-back who was showing potential to be one of the league’s best, has been sidelined with a significant injury since 17 January against SuperSport United.

It is highly unlikely that he will feature in their remaining two matches against Cape Town City and Kaizer Chiefs. Notably, Matuludi is one of the club’s top scorers in the league with two, with one of his goals coming against AmaZulu in the reverse fixture.

Appollis also missed the draw against Usuthu in Durban due to an injury sustained in their previous match against SuperSport.

Furthermore, the impressive performances of Matuludi and Appollis had attracted considerable interest from both within the PSL and abroad. Mohafe admitted that this external attention also created instability and disrupted the team’s momentum.

“We are very grateful for providing these youngsters with an opportunity to showcase their talent,” Mohafe told Sportswire.

“Their performances instilled confidence within the team, demonstrating that we have a strong squad with good depth.”

“Whoever has been given the chance to play has performed well. However, not every player possesses the same qualities as Oswin and Thabang.”

“Their specific qualities significantly contribute to our desired playing style. I believe the team has been stable in terms of overall progress. However, the unique attributes that Oswin and Thabang bring offer a different dimension to our team’s approach.”