The two were scheduled to face off this Saturday at Loftus Versfeld, but Sundowns requested a fixture postponement after their pre-season was disrupted by the death of Jayden Adams.

Mohafe says his team knows how to play against Masandawana and were mentally prepared for the match.

"Sundowns are a team that my team knows how to play against, and I also think that Sundowns is a team that everyone wants to play against. I personally wanted to start the season against them and it's so unfortunate that we will instead start the season against Kruger United. However, any team in this league is competitive and tough to play against, and hopefully we can show great character throughout the season."

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Gallants will instead have to wait more than a week to kick-off their season with a home clash against newly-promoted Kruger United, and Mohafe believes this will be an even trickier assignment for them. 

The Mpumalanga side will open their account against Kaizer Chiefs this weekend, and he says they’ll be monitoring proceedings there closely.

Mohafe had done a decent job during his time as Polokwane City head coach, guiding them to a top eight finish in the last three seasons. He says the move to Marumo Gallants was inspired by growth despite the challenges the club has faced in recent times.

"I think coming to Marumo is a chance for me to grow and to embrace the challenges. All the challenges associated with this club are the challenges I want to face to see if I can overcome them, if I do that I can consider myself to be a good coach and put myself amongst the best."

Bahlabane ba Ntwa survived relegation by the skin of their teeth last season, and the 52-year-old says they have to be realistic about their goals in the upcoming campaign, but they should also target a top eight place while also declaring that they will be looking to win at least one trophy.