Advertisement

Polokwane extend Galaxy’s league drought

football08 April 2026 20:50| © Backpage TXT
Share

Polokwane City extended TS Galaxy’s drought in the Betway Premiership by claiming a 2-1 away win at the Solomon Mahlangu Stadium on Wednesday evening.

Goals from Juan Mutudza and Mokibelo Ramabu helped Rise and Shine break a three-game winless run in the league and strengthen their grip on seventh place.

Advertisement

The Limpopo side now enjoys a four-point buffer to the bottom half of the log.

As for the Rockets, their winless run in the league has now stretched to eight matches. They remained in 12th place on the log – three points off the pace needed to be in the top eight.

Polokwane were the more enterprising and cohesive team in the early stages, and they were rewarded with a cracking goal in the 17th minute.

Juan Mutudza scored his first for the club with a beautiful curling effort from the corner of the penalty area that left goalkeeper Ira Tape completely defeated.

Just prior to the half-hour mark, Rise and Shine came close to a second goal, with Thabelo Tshikweta meeting a left-flank cross and putting a header wide of the mark.

Galaxy gradually began to find some attacking rhythm and threatened to restore parity via two efforts from Siphamandla Ngwenya.

The first in the 33rd minute was a looping header which hit the top of the crossbar, while the second 11 minutes later was a more potent attempt that flashed just wide of the posts.

FRUSTRATION FOR THE HOSTS

The Rockets had another chance for Ngwenya early in the second half, with the forward driving a left-footed shot wide, before Polokwane punished the hosts with a swift counter attack mere seconds later.

Mutudza went from scorer to provider, helping a ball to his right to tee up Mokibelo Ramabu, who swept an effort high into the back of the net to put Rise and Shine 2-0 up.

Galaxy almost had an immediate response from half-time substitute Junior Zindoga, but his goal-bound effort was blocked on the line by defender Tlou Nkwe.

And just before the hour mark the hosts had further frustration, as Sphesihle Maduna unleashed a thunderous drive that looked destined for the back of the net, but City goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula made a brilliant save.

The scoreline could have been even worse for Galaxy, who needed Tape to make two one-on-one saves from Tshikweta and Bonginkjosi Dlamini in the final third of the match to keep it down to 2-0.

The Rockets finally had some joy in the 82nd minute when their centre-backs combined for a goal: Veluyeke Zulu’s long ball was headed on target by Igor Salatiel Silva – Mathebula made the initial save, but Salatiel Silva followed up on the loose ball and stabbed it home to reduce the deficit to 1-2.

The teams will be back in Premiership action this coming weekend, with Polokwane away to Chippa United on Saturday and Galaxy away to Kaizer Chiefs on Sunday.

Advertisement