Sekhukhune United faced a challenging outing at Loftus Versfeld Stadium, falling 3-0 to Mamelodi Sundowns in a Betway Premiership match on Saturday.
Sipho Mbule’s absence, a pivotal player for Babina Noko, sparked questions about its effect on the match’s outcome.
However, head coach Lehlohonolo Seema refuted the idea that Mbule’s presence would have altered the result.
Goals from Arthur Sales, Iqraam Rayners, and an own goal by Tresor Yamba secured a dominant win for Sundowns, who continued their impressive league form.
Sekhukhune, unable to field Mbule due to Sundowns’ loan policy barring players from facing their parent club, struggled to make an impact.
Despite the loss, Seema expressed satisfaction with the performance of the midfielders who stepped in. “No, I don’t think Sipho’s presence would have changed the outcome. An agreement is an agreement, and we knew this situation would arise,” he stated.
“Lesedi Kapinga and Thabang Monare both gave their best in his absence. Lesedi played very well, and Thabang did everything he could. This is not something to complain about.”
Sekhukhune’s preparation without Mbule reflected their adaptability, though it was not enough to match Sundowns’ dominance.
Reflecting on the result, Seema remained focused on the future: “The guys who played did very well. Let’s see what happens in the next game.”
Babina Noko currently sit eighth in the league table with 10 points from seven matches. Their next challenge comes on Saturday, 7 December, against Cape Town City FC at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium, with kick-off scheduled for 20h00.