Marumo Gallants remained winless in the 2026/27 Betway Premiership after they were held 2-2 by Polokwane City at the Royal Bafokeng Stadium on Friday evening.
The league clash saw all four goals scored in an entertaining first half, with the result bumping Rise and Shine up to eighth place on the log (six points from five matches), while Bahlabane Ba Ntwa stayed in 15th spot (two points from five matches).
Polokwane got off to a flying start and claimed the lead as early as the third minute, with Malebogo Modise’s long throw-in from the right flicked on by Juan Mutudza and then volleyed home acrobatically by Tidimalo Molokwane.
Gallants hit back to level the game at 1-1 in the 17th minute, with Msindisi Kunene coming inside from the left to shoot from long range and find the back of the net with a skidding effort that Polokwane goalkeeper Ayanda Ngwenya really should have saved.
Yet Rise and Shine restored their lead in the 25th minute, with Bonginkosi Dlamini running onto a defence-splitting pass from Mutudza before striking beyond goalkeeper Emile Lako for a 2-1 advantage.
The hosts should have established parity just past the half-hour mark when a defensive error allowed striker Kelvin Etemesi through on goal, but he struck an effort wide of the mark with only Ngwenya to beat.
Yet Polokwane gifted Gallants a second equaliser in the 44th minute, with back-tracking defender Lebohang Nkaki miscalculating a long ball toward his penalty area which he headed over the reach of his own ‘keeper and into the back of the net for 2-2.
The first effort of the second half came from the visitors, with Mutudza getting away a volley from just inside the box in the 58th minute, but Lako – after an initial fumble – made the save to keep the scores level.
Gallants were next to threaten, with Ndabayithethwa Ndlondlo shooting from long range in the 72nd minute, but City’s substitute goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula made a comfortable save.
Mathebula made another notable contribution in the 84th minute when he moved sharply to claim a deflected cross from the right which looked destined to find an unmarked Katlego Otladisa in the danger area.
And Otladisa had one last chance early in injury time when he tried to curl a left-footed shot into the top corner of the net, but his attempt flashed just off target – much to the relief of the visitors.
The teams will be back in Premiership action on Saturday 12 September, with Gallants away to AmaZulu FC and Polokwane at home to Kaizer Chiefs.
Marumo Gallants (2) 2 (Kunene 17’, Nkaki og 44’)
Polokwane City (2) 2 (Molokwane 3’, Dlamini 25’)
Gallants: Lako, Ncube, Ralenkoane, Sikakane, Ntiya-Ntiya, Manaka, Ndlondlo, Seketso (Mphambaniso 69’), Dhludhlu (Otladisa 60’), Kunene (Molethse 69’), Etemesi (Kutumela 85’)
Polokwane: Ngwenya (Mathebula 46’), Manthosi, Mvundlela, Nkaki, Modise, Maphangule (Batlhabane 21’), Kambala, Daniels (Nkwe 46’ [Philander 82’]), Mutudza (Mnguni 60’), Dlamini, Molokwane