Cape Town City kept their Betway Premiership survival hopes alive after ending a month's-long winless streak with a 2-0 victory over Polokwane City at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Saturday, May 17.
Goals in each half from Darwin Gonzalez and Jaedin Rhodes handed Diogo Peral his first win as caretaker coach since replacing Muhsin Ertugral at the helm in March to take the Citizens level on 26 points with SuperSport United, who suffered a 2-1 defeat to Stellenbosch in a concurrent match.
Rise And Shine have now lost three of their last five games and find themselves just two points ahead of Chippa United (8th) and Kaizer Chiefs (9th) in seventh position with one fixture remaining in the season.
Polokwane's place in the top eight was under threat after they picked up just two points from their last five outings, while City were desperate to arrest a 13-match winless run which left them facing relegation in 15th position.
The visitors survived an early scare when Rise And Shine carved out an opening in the eighth minute, but Darren Keet was on hand to make a big save to keep the score deadlocked at 0-0.
It proved crucial as they were awarded a penalty 10 minutes later and Gonzalez kept his composure from 12 yards out to register his fourth goal of the season, equalling his tally of 2023-24.
Phuti Mohafe's side looked for a response, although they failed to test Keet with any of their subsequent five attempts at goal before half-time.
City came out of the block flying in the second half and took just five minutes to double their lead as Rhodes headed home a exquisite pin-point cross from Aprocious Petrus.
The Limpopo outfit cranked up the pressure in a bid to get back into the contest, but their shooting boots let them down once more after testing Keet just twice from their 14 shots at goal.
Polokwane City 0
Cape Town City (1) 2 (Gonzalez 18' PEN, Rhodes 50')
Polokwane City: B. Bwire, S. Manthosi, B. Nikani, L. Nkaki, L. Ndlovu, N. Maphangule (S. Ngwenya 55'), M. Kambala (M. Batlhabane 73'), O. Appollis (M. Ramabu 46'), T. Letshedi (S. Goovadia 65'), B. Dlamini, N. Raphadu.
Cape Town City: D. Keet, N. Idumba, L. Gordinho, A. Petrus, T. Mkhize, A. Soukouna (K. Francis 90'), T. Serero (H. Domingo 46'), F. Makaringe (T. Nodada 25'), T. Nyama, J. Rhodes (L. Slatsha 90'), D. Gonzalez.