Sekhukhune United can use Pirates defeats as lessons, says Masehe

Sekhukhune United must use their three defeats by Orlando Pirates in eight days as a learning experience, assistant coach Paulus Masehe says, after Babina Noko were eliminated from the MTN8.

Sekhukhune’s campaign ended with a 3-0 loss to Pirates at the Orlando Amstel Arena on Saturday, completing a 4-0 aggregate defeat in the semi-final. The Buccaneers had won the first leg in Polokwane before also beating Sekhukhune 2-0 in the Betway Premiership during the week.

Although the results brought a difficult spell for Sekhukhune, Masehe said his side had shown improvements across the three matches and had created opportunities, particularly after the interval.

“The aspect that I think we did well from the first match that we played against Pirates, the first leg of the MTN8, in the second half, was how we controlled possession of the ball and how we then penetrated them and created some chances, although they weren’t that many,” said Masehe.

“But the league game that we played, we created a lot of chances also in the second half. So even today, it was evident in the second half we did much better. We created a whole lot of chances and we also had to take the risk of committing numbers forward.

“And with the subs and the impact that they had from the bench, they were bound to catch us here and there, and we had to try everything to try and get a goal back.”

Masehe acknowledged that taking greater risks in search of a goal left Sekhukhune vulnerable, particularly as Pirates were able to draw on the quality of their substitutes. He felt the hosts’ strength in important areas of the pitch had been decisive over the three meetings.

The assistant coach also conceded that Sekhukhune did not always react well when instructions were altered from the bench, another area he believes the team can improve as the season progresses.

The latest defeat comes during a rebuilding period for Babina Noko under coach Cedric Kaze. The club undertook a major overhaul of its squad during the off-season, with former captain Linda Mntambo retiring and Bradley Grobler, Thabang Monare and several other experienced players leaving.

That turnover has placed greater responsibility on a younger group, alongside the players brought in during the reshaping of the squad. Masehe said the circumstances should be taken into account when judging Sekhukhune’s performances.

He believes the team will need time to develop greater understanding and consistency, with patience required as Kaze works to establish a more settled and competitive side.

The three matches against Orlando Pirates have therefore provided a demanding test, but Masehe sees them as an opportunity for Sekhukhune’s players to identify their weaknesses and learn from the level required to compete with the reigning MTN8 semi-final opponents.