Polokwane City coach Phuthi Mohafe has set his sights on securing a top-eight finish after a stunning win over Kaizer Chiefs at Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday, a similar feat they achieved over defending champions Mamelodi Sundowns. 

The Limpopo-based club handed Nasreddinde Nabi’s side their third loss of the season as reported Chiefs target Oswin Apollis contributed to the score sheet with the opening goal before Mokibelo Ramabu sealed the victory in the latter stages of the match. 

Before slaying the Soweto giants, Rise and Shine overcame Manqoba Mngqithi’s Sundowns 1-0 thanks to Bulelani Nikani who scored the all-important goal back in October as the Brazilians shockingly failed to register a single shot on target. 

While he led City to a top-half finish in eighth place upon their return to the top-flight division last season, Mohafe is eager to maintain the momentum and register back-to-back respectable finishes in the Betway Premiership. 

“Our target is to finish in the top eight, so we cannot lose matches and still expect to be in the top eight. So, by winning the matches, it tells us that we can still be in the top eight, ” said the Limpopo-born mentor. 

Mohafe, who took charge following the unexpected departure of Lehlohonolo Seema to Sekhukhune United in November 2023, went on to urge his troops to have a shift in mentality as he believes they are forced to be reckoned with. 

“And we don’t have to look down on ourselves and say ‘We are still a small team’. We still have to go and perform with the teams because the points are the same, it doesn’t matter where you get them, you get them from the small teams and the so-called big teams, it’s fine, it’s the same, ” he said. 

“So, going into the top three presently cements our [push for] top eight, we just need to continue working this hard.” 

Moreover, the 50-year-old tactician made a bold statement, claiming that TS Galaxy provided much stronger competition to his side compared to Chiefs and Sundowns. Galaxy held City to a 1-1 draw in Polokwane earlier this month. “Up to so far, I can say there are special matches that Polokwane City has played and we have treated them well. I think it’s Sundowns, Chiefs, and TS Galaxy because Galaxy is a strong team – stronger than Chiefs and Sundowns according to me, ” Mohafe claimed. 

“They are a very difficult team to beat, so these three matches have been the mirror of what we are doing as the technical team of Polokwane City and as Polokwane City as a whole.” 

Rise and Shine moved up to third place on the league standings and will host 10th-placed Marumo Gallants who are on the back of two consecutive victories ahead of their clash at the Old Peter Mokaba stadium on Sunday.