Mohafe Tired Of Addressing Appollis Issue

Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe was reluctant to discuss the decision to bench his star player, Oswin Appollis, during their MTN8 quarterfinal match against Mamelodi Sundowns at Lucas Moripe Stadium on Sunday.
Appollis’ absence from the starting lineup raised eyebrows, given his key role in the team’s top-eight finish last season. The 22-year-old, who joined Polokwane City from Pretoria Callies, had scored six goals in 31 matches across all competitions. His impressive form earned him a place in the Bafana Bafana squad that won the bronze medal at the African Cup of Nations in Ivory Coast.
Amidst rumors of a potential move to a North African club, Mohafe provided a brief explanation for Appollis’ benching: “The Appollis situation is becoming a bit of an issue. However, every team has its own approach. With Oswin, it was simply a tactical decision based on how we wanted to counter Sundowns’ strengths.”
Despite Appollis’ absence from the starting lineup, he still managed to make a significant impact when he entered the match as a substitute. The forward came close to equalizing in the dying minutes but was denied by a brilliant save from Jody February.
Another intriguing development was the appearance of Manuel Kambala, who had been announced as a new signing by Mozambican giants Uniao Desportiva de Songo in July. Mohafe expressed surprise at this news, insisting that Kambala still had a contract with Polokwane City.
“As for Kambala, he was unveiled and I just saw the media saying he was unveiled at the other team in Mozambique, but he had a contract with Polokwane City. That is why I think it is why you see him still at Polokwane City,” he said.
Ultimately, Polokwane City suffered a defeat in the MTN8, with Thabang Matuludi, another player reportedly attracting interest from other clubs, scoring an own goal against Sundowns.