Tembo gives details on Mahachi U-turn

SuperSport United’s Kudakwashe Mahachi has become the latest causality of being brought on from the bench and later recalled as Kaitano Tembo introduced the pacey winger in the 60^th minute.

The Matsatsantsa A Pitori has since explained why he decided to withdraw the Zimbabwean international. Mahachi was brought on in the 60^th minute for Ghampani Lungu and was later recalled and veteran defender Bongani Khumalo came on in the dying moments of the game.

“There is no rule that says if you come on you should not be taken out,” said Tembo, whose side beat AmaZulu 1-0 on Saturday night in an Absa Premiership tie.

“It was a tactical decision, there were pumping balls in the box and this was the kind of games where he really had nothing to offer besides getting a free-kick or a corner into the box and they were adding numbers up front.

“It was only four minutes into injury time and I took the decision to put in an extra defender so that we kill the game because had we conceded a goal in the last minute we’d start to say we should have done this or that. I took out Mahachi because of his height because he was not going to help us on set-plays,” he added.

On how this will affect the former Orlando Pirates attacker, Tembo said he expects Mahachi to understand that the team comes first as he is a professional.

“He is a professional, he has to take it on the chin, it is about the team and we make decisions based on the team and I think he understands that he is part of the team. Last week I took out Jamie after her came on and put in an extra striker,” said the SuperSport mentor.

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