Sekhukhune United head coach Brandon Truter said he started Kamohelo Mokotjo and Linda Mntambo from the bench against Liver Brothers because he is easing and managing the duo into the squad.
Mokotjo, who was a marquee signing for Ba Bina Noko in the last transfer window, lasted 45 minutes on his debut in the 2-0 loss to Marumo Gallants in the league last week and got a 20-minute run in the 6-0 victory over Brothers in the Nedbank cup last 32 round.
Meanwhile, Mntambo returned from a long injury in that Limpopo derby played in Rustenburg.
He came off after 58 minutes and played for 28 minutes in the cup. Truter says it was safer to go with a tried and tested formula also considering their upcoming domestic fixtures.
“Look Sammy [Seabi] and Kabwe [Rodrick] was always the starters in there. We managed to give them [Mokotjo and Mntambo] the minutes against Gallants as well, we knew they were not going to last against Gallants,” he said after the Nedbank Cup victory.
“From today we said ‘listen it’s a cup game, it’s a once off, let’s start with what we know’ and they managed. We’ve given them some minutes to come on.
“We have some big games coming up in Richards Bay and Cape Town City, so we don’t want to rush Linda back especially from injury. He managed that situation.
“We want to manage Linda and Kamo as well. Kamo needs the minutes after a long layoff of almost a year and then Linda coming back from injury, we have to manage him.
“But we wanted to be on the front foot against Gallants and we missed Sammy and we missed Kabwe in that game.”
Sekhukhune will be back in action on 18 February at home against Richards Bay United.
