Polokwane City begin Betway Premiership campaign with victory over Richards Bay
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Polokwane City made a winning start to their 2026/27 Betway Premiership campaign after securing a determined 2-1 victory over Richards Bay at Umhlathuze Sports Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
Although the visitors spent long periods without the ball, they showed discipline and efficiency in front of goal. Ndamulelo Maphangule and Tidimalo Molokwane both found the net as Rise and Shine claimed all three points in a tightly contested season opener.
The match began cautiously, with neither side able to create meaningful chances during the opening exchanges. Polokwane City broke the deadlock in the 18th minute when Giovanni Philander delivered a dangerous corner into the six-yard area, allowing Maphangule to guide the ball into the bottom-left corner.
Richards Bay responded well and enjoyed the bulk of possession for much of the first half. Their best opportunity came shortly after the half-hour mark when Lindokuhle Zikhali struck from outside the penalty area, but goalkeeper Lindokuhle Mathebula produced a solid save to preserve the lead.
Polokwane City remained compact defensively and continued to threaten on the counterattack. They almost doubled their advantage before halftime when Philander failed to convert a promising breakaway opportunity.
The home side kept searching for an equaliser through long-range efforts, but they were unable to find a breakthrough before the interval.
Polokwane City started the second half brightly and extended their lead in the 56th minute. Molokwane finished off a swift counterattack with a composed right-footed strike into the bottom corner.
Richards Bay pushed forward in search of a response and were nearly rewarded in the 62nd minute, only for Mathebula to deny Thulani Gumede with another important save.
The pressure eventually paid off in the 69th minute when Simphiwe Mcineka reacted quickest inside the box to head home from close range after a corner delivery.
Richards Bay dominated possession during the closing stages and applied sustained pressure on the Polokwane City defence. However, the visitors remained organised at the back and successfully protected their lead through six minutes of added time before the final whistle.
The victory gives Polokwane City an encouraging start to the new season, while Richards Bay will be left to reflect on a performance that showed promise but ultimately lacked the cutting edge required to earn a result.
