Phuti Mohafe reflects on costly errors in heavy Mamelodi Sundowns defeat
Polokwane City head coach Phuti Mohafe believes lapses in concentration and rushed decisions ultimately cost his side in their heavy defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns on Sunday.
Polokwane City boss takes firm stance on penalty miss
Rise and Shine were handed a lifeline at Loftus Versfeld Stadium with 25 minutes remaining and trailing 2-0, but Marema failed to convert from the spot in what proved to be a turning point in the match.
The 35-year-old, who had only been introduced at half-time, slipped as he struck the ball, sending his effort over the crossbar.
Mohafe did not hesitate to act, hauling Marema off despite having just brought him on, in a move that underlined his emphasis on leadership and responsibility within the squad.
"For me, it's about leadership," Mohafe said after the match. "When you are a leader, you have to lead by example. You can't be casual in those situations. When we get that opportunity to make it 2-1, you must take it seriously."
The incident followed a similar moment just days earlier when Sundowns striker Lebogang Mothiba saw his chipped penalty saved in a narrow 1-0 win over City. However, unlike Mohafe, Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso opted to back his player publicly.
"He was complacent, and I felt taking him off was the best decision," said the Rise and Sine mentor.
Sundowns went on to seal a comfortable 3-0 victory, extending their lead at the top of the Betway Premiership standings to five points.
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