Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe didn't hold back after their 0-0 draw against Kaizer Chiefs, questioning how Lebohang Maboe walked away with the Player of the Match award. Photo: Backpagepix
Image: Backpagepix
Polokwane City coach Phuti Mohafe firmly believed one of his players should have gotten man of the match award instead of Lebohang Maboe from Kaizer Chiefs during Saturday's 0-0 draw.
Mohafe said his team was all over Chiefs, and made life difficult for Maboe, raising questions about why exactly he was chosen as player of the match. Polokwane had to split the points with Chiefs, even though they dominated the last 25 minutes of the game. To their own fault, Mohafe's men could not finish any one of the numerous chances they created.
Their compact backline would have made a single goal enough to defend and extract maximum points.
"If we had played early crosses, we could have got one goal, but we took one touch too many. It is something that we can work on and improve on. I thank the players for the plan at hand," Mohafe said.
"We had to utilise the spaces that they were leaving because we knew that Munyani would overlap. Cross would go inside as an inverted full-back to form the three-man centre-backs.
"So, we used those spaces exceptionally, and we defended well today; we didn't concede. And in the middle, we neutralised them. We neutralised Maboe, we neutralised Cele.
"I'm so confused as to how Maboe got the Player of the Match. I don't know how he got it, because he was nowhere to be seen on the field. Whenever he got the ball, we were there.
"We won most of the balls from him. So, how can you be Player of the Match when you are losing the ball?"
The draw was hard to accept after witnessing such a performance, but Mohafe eventually settled, as taking any points from a team like Chiefs is an accomplishment on its own. The single point, however, does close the gap between them and Golden Arrows — who beat Orbit College 2-1 on Saturday.
Arrows are now tied with Polokwane City on 24 points and will continue to push their campaign for a better Top 8 spot. Durban City, who are just a spot above Polokwane in sixth, will take on Magesi on Sunday and try to extend that gap by three points.
Arrows, although behind Polokwane City, have the momentum on their side, but Mohafe reminded his boys to keep their heads up.
"Even though it is minimising the chances of qualifying because the teams that are behind us are catching up, the teams that are in front of us are not moving away. So, it gives us a little bit of hope to say, 'guys, this point that we've got today is a massive point for you.'
"So, go forward with it, take it on the chin and we move forward," the Polokwane City coach concluded.