Polokwane City will be looking to maintain their Betway Premiership top-three spot with a win over TS Galaxy at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday. Kick-off is at 5:45 pm CAT.
CURRENT FORM
Rise and Shine are now winless in their last two matches after succumbing to a 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City away on Wednesday - making it back-to-back defeats for the Limpopo side.
Polokwane are placed third in the Betway Premiership standings with 13 points from eight matches and a win over Galaxy would see Rise, and Shine maintain their spot in the top three.
Galaxy, on the other hand, are undefeated in their last two matches after securing their first win of the season when they defeated Sekhukhune United 3-1 away on Tuesday, having drawn the other game.
The Rockets are placed 13th in the Betway Premiership standings with five points from seven matches and victory over Polokwane would see the Mpumalanga side move further away from the relegation zone.
TEAM NEWS
Both Polokwane and Galaxy are yet to report injuries in their camps coming into this encounter.
However, Polokwane will be without their inspirational captain Bulelani Nikani who will serve a one-match suspension against Galaxy.
WHAT WAS SAID?
Polokwane City head coach Phuti Mohafe
“We need to be as stubborn, as stubborn as a horse. We need to be resilient," Mohafe said.
"And these teams, when we play them, they must know that they are playing another big team. They must not say this team is still a small team. Now we regard ourselves as a big team because we qualified for the top eight.
"“So, the top eight is not for the small teams. So we regard ourselves as the big team, so we must maintain the standard.”
TS Galaxy coach Adnan Beganovic
“I know we deserved to win this game because of how we prepared in the last 15 days, training very hard and analysing the opponent," Beganovic said.
"The break helped us a lot. Those 15 days helped me to show my ideas to the players and they accepted them, it's amazing. I didn't change a lot because we had been playing well from the start but we lacked luck.
"Also, we had a tough schedule, we played six away games with only one game at home. I want to use more crosses and play direct football, that's all.”
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Thabang Matuludi, Polokwane City: The right-back has been the most productive Rise and Shine player in the final third in the league this season - scoring the most goals (two) for the team, and he has also provided one assist.
Dzenan Zajmovic, TS Galaxy: The tall striker is oozing with confidence at the moment after grabbing a goal and an assist in the win over Sekhukhune which makes him the Rockets' top scorer in the league this term with two goals.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
ALL LEAGUE RESULTS
Season Result Scorers
2023/24 Galaxy 3-0 Polokwane S, Mahlangu, Mvelase, Nurkovic
2023/24 Polokwane 1-0 Galaxy Appollis