Sekhukhune United bounced back from their midweek defeat to Kaizer Chiefs in emphatic fashion, securing Limpopo bragging rights with a convincing 2-0 victory over provincial rivals Polokwane City in a fiercely contested Betway Premiership derby at Seshego Stadium on Saturday night.
Babina Noko entered the encounter determined to put their 2-0 defeat to Chiefs at FNB Stadium behind them, and they made their intentions clear from the opening exchanges.
Sekhukhune needed just eight minutes to break the deadlock, with Tshepo Mokoana finding the back of the net to give his side an early advantage.
The goal unsettled Polokwane City, who struggled to contain Sekhukhune’s attacking momentum. The visitors continued to press forward and were rewarded again in the 20th minute when Ngoanamello Rammala doubled the lead.
With two goals inside the opening 20 minutes, Babina Noko had put themselves firmly in control of the derby.
City, however, refused to surrender and created opportunities of their own as they looked for a way back into the contest. Their best chances came as they began to find more space in the final third, but they were unable to beat the Sekhukhune defence and goalkeeper.
Sekhukhune also had opportunities to put the result beyond doubt. Their attackers came close on several occasions in the second half, but poor finishing and timely interventions from the Polokwane City defence prevented Babina Noko from adding a third goal.
Polokwane City pushed forward in search of a lifeline, but their finishing let them down when it mattered most. A number of promising attacks ended without a shot troubling the Sekhukhune goal, while other attempts went wide or were comfortably dealt with by the Babina Noko defence.
As the final whistle approached, Sekhukhune remained composed and protected their two-goal advantage to register their second league victory in three matches.
The victory will be particularly satisfying for Babina Noko after their disappointing trip to FNB Stadium, where they suffered a 2-0 defeat against Kaizer Chiefs in their previous league outing.
For Polokwane City, the defeat represents another difficult result early in the campaign and leaves them searching for greater consistency in front of goal.
The derby victory also gives Sekhukhune the early upper hand in the Limpopo rivalry, while the two sides will have to wait until 6 March 2027 for the return league fixture. The PSL confirmed the two Limpopo derby dates as 15 August 2026 and 6 March 2027.
Limpopo clubs on the log
Following Saturday night’s result, Sekhukhune United move to six points from three league matches, while Polokwane City remain on four points from their opening three matches.
The three points strengthen Babina Noko’s position in the early Betway Premiership standings, while City will be looking to respond quickly in their next league assignment.
The 2026/27 Betway Premiership season began on 1 August and is scheduled to conclude on 22 May 2027.
