Sekhukhune United will be without head coach Cedric Kaze for the MTN8 second leg semi-final against Orlando Pirates
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Sekhukhune United have little time to dwell on back-to-back defeats to Orlando Pirates as they prepare for a must-win MTN8 semi-final second leg.
Babina Noko head into Saturday’s decisive encounter at the Orlando Amstel Arena trailing 1–0 from the first leg, before suffering another defeat to the Buccaneers in the Betway Premiership on Tuesday.
Pirates won that league encounter 2–0, leaving Sekhukhune with the difficult task of overturning the deficit against an opponent that has now beaten them twice in the space of four days.
Their challenge has been made even tougher by the absence of head coach Cedric Kaze, who was sent off during Tuesday’s league defeat and will watch Saturday’s match from the stands.
Assistant coach Paulus Masehe will take charge as Sekhukhune attempt to keep their hopes of reaching the MTN8 final alive.
However, the setback has not changed the belief within the Babina Noko camp that the tie remains firmly within their reach.
A 1–0 victory would take the semi-final to a penalty shootout, while any victory by two goals would send Sekhukhune through to the final.
Masehe will therefore have to find the balance between giving his team the attacking impetus required to score while ensuring they do not leave themselves exposed to a Pirates counter-attack.
The two recent defeats could, however, provide Sekhukhune with valuable insight into what needs to change.
They have already experienced Pirates’ approach twice this week, giving Masehe and his players a clear indication of the areas they need to improve.
Former Pirates and Sekhukhune midfielder Linda “Figo” Mntambo has even suggested that Kaze’s absence could prove to be a “blessing in disguise” for Babina Noko.
That claim will face its biggest test on Saturday.
With Pirates holding the advantage, the pressure is on Sekhukhune to take the initiative.
They cannot afford another passive performance, nor can they allow the disappointment of Tuesday’s defeat to carry into a knockout match where one moment could determine the fate of their entire MTN8 campaign.
For Sekhukhune, this is now about character as much as tactics.
They have 90 minutes to show that two defeats to Pirates and the absence of their head coach have not knocked them off course.
And if they can find the goal that has eluded them in their last two meetings with the Buccaneers, the semi-final could quickly take on a very different complexion.
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