Sekhukhune United coach Eric Tinkler remains positive that his side will finish in the top three despite suffering a 3-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns in the league match on Sunday.
Babina Noko remained third on the log table, nine points behind log leaders Orlando Pirates and Sundowns.
Tinkler said the plan was to open the gap between them and fifth-place Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu, who are on six and lead them with two points.
“No difference from what I said at the beginning of the season, our target is the top three. You [media] are the ones talking about leagues, I’m talking about the top three, that’s my mandate,” Tinkler said.
“If we won today [Sunday], we should be competing for the league? Yes, but my mandate has not changed.
“Nothing says we can’t go and win the next two games and close the gap, but every single game we go into, we plan and prepare to win it.
“I don’t have the luxury of planning and say yeah, I can get a point over there, the three points, no, these three points today are important.
“Why? Because our target is the top three, the sooner we can create a gap between ourselves and everyone else to reach the top three, the better.
“And that’s what I said to the players to open that gap between ourselves, Kaizer Chiefs and AmaZulu, for me that’s the target and objective.”
Tinkler also rued mistakes from his side as he feels that cost them against Sundowns and said they will have to do better when they visit Durban City at Chatsworth Stadium tomorrow.
“I think all three goals come from our mistakes, giving away possession and against the quality they have, you will get punished. Two of the goals are quality goals,” he said. “But my team needed to show more belief, but we didn’t.”
Meanwhile, Marumo Gallants have suspended their coach, Alexandre Lafitte, with immediate effect, pending an internal disciplinary process, the club confirmed in a statement.
“The suspension follows issues relating to a failure to comply with contractual duties. The club has also not been performing to the expected standard in recent fixtures,” a part of the statement read.
Sowetan
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