Coach MacDonald Makhubedu reckons his team Sekhukhune United and SuperSport United could have done better had it not been for red cards during their match at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in Atteridgeville on Sunday.
Babina Noko moved to second place on the Premiership standings after they beat SuperSport United 1-0 courtesy of Soweto-born Tshediso Patjie’s late goal.
Both teams finished the game with 10 men after match referee Victor Gomes red carded Babina Noko’s Vusumuzi Mncube and Matsatsantsa a Pitori’s Thalente Mbatha in the first 15 minutes of the proceedings.
“We didn’t want them to come straight to us with combinations. I think the two red cards changed everything. Both teams went on the back foot a bit. We wanted to catch each other on the break. It was not an open game,” Makhubedu said.
Makhubedu also added that the two red cards left holes in the structures of the two teams.
“Centre part there was a big hole for both teams because of the red cards. We wanted results, we knew we would get something. I think we could have done better, they could have done better,” Makhubedu said.
Matsatsantsa coach Kaitano Tembo, meanwhile, bemoaned the way they played during the match, especially in the final third.
“We knew that they are a team that plays on the counter attack. They play more without the ball, they just wait for you to make that mistake. They pounce on that. A couple of times they have done that,” Tembo said.
“We had most of the possession, but we lacked quality in the final third. We didn’t use the ball properly. Technically, we were not better. We couldn’t break them down.”
Tembo added that Mbatha’s red card robbed him of a chance to see what the player could do. Gomes sent off Mbatha in the 15th minute of the match for dangerous play.
“I feel sorry for him because I don’t know how he’s gonna react after this. Your first game, you get sent off. I hope he’s gonna come back stronger because he’s part of development. He’s a youngster. I was looking forward to seeing him because he’s got the qualities,” Tembo remarked.
