Sekhukhune United head coach Brandon Truter says it won’t be the last time this group of players reach a cup final as lessons were learned in the defeat to Orlando Pirates.
Sekhukune took the lead in front of the packed Loftus Versfeld on Saturday evening in the Nedbank Cup final through Sibusiso Vilakazi as he profited from a defensive error in the opening 12 minutes of the game.
Pirates managed to grab an equaliser on the brink of half-time through Tapelo Xoki after a hotly debated penalty call after a handball incident between Victor Letsoalo and Thembinkosi Lorch before the eventually found a stoppage-time winner in dramatic fashion.
“Not much to say about the game, it was a good final for the supporters, good advert for Nedbank, and then, of course, we scored early, they scored last, and won it,” Truter said about the game in which Terrence Dzvukamanja stole it at the death to win 2-1.
“I’m extremely proud of the boys for the strides made this season, so many accolades, so many achievements, I can’t be bitter about this result, I’m sure there will be more finals with the progression in the team.
“Other than that, you wake up in the morning with expectations and the day starts with expectations, and it ends in experiences – we’ll take that.
“It’s not a good feeling, I got a bit emotional and we learn from it, other than that congratulations to Pirates, a second trophy for the season, so well done to them.
“It’s been a fantastic season from Pirates but we learn from it and I’m extremely proud of my boys.”
Babina Noko were widely expected to come to the fixture in a ultra-defensive tactical system which they attempted in the 1-1 draw at Orlando Stadium in the league earlier this month and in the build-up, questions were raised about it to Truter.
But they created a spectacle with Pirates worthy of the cup final stage and Truter said what was displayed was the real Sekhukhune and not what is portrayed sometimes by fans and media.
“In short, [what you say] is us, two weeks ago against Pirates in the league, that was us managing the suspensions, the fatigue and the injuries but you also saw tonight the flexibility of tactics and adaptation and understanding of all the players,” Truter added.
“I’ve said it all along about the puzzle coming nicely coming together and the players, I can’t ask more from them, they adapted very quickly and I told you it’s a bucnh of coachable players, so what more can a coach ask for, but that was us [in the final].
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“When we do play on the front foot when we close things down it’s about managing the game in the last 15 minutes of the first half we did that nicely, even with a deep block of seven we had chances to come out.
“The last goal conceded we were on transition, I think a 4v2 moment and we lost it, it ended in the back of our net, the second time this happens this season, so. it’s it’s something to work on as a coach and things we want to improve on.
“This is why I’m confident there’s more finals to come and this is us [Sekhukhune] going forward as well.”
Sekhukune will compete in the CAF Confederation Cup next season due to being finalists as Pirates secured a CAF Champions League spot by finishing as runners-up to Mamelodi Sundowns in the DStv Premiership.
