ST Eloi Lupopo coach downplays Guy Bukasa’s absence as the reason for the 3-1 defeat to Mamelodi Sundowns

ST Eloi Lupopo assistant coach, Salmi Yassine, refuses to attribute their 3-1 Caf Champions League loss to Mamelodi Sundowns to the absence of head coach Guy Bukasa.

“It’s just about being focused, it’s not about the coach, or Mukoko not being here, sometimes we need to just put the ball in the net,” Yassine said after the match at Loftus Versveld yesterday afternoon.

Bukasa is serving a Caf suspension and thus his absence in yesterday's match where Marcello Allende and Nuno Santos scored - a brace - for the home side.

The coach said his team’s failure to utilise the opportunities they created positively was their downfall.

“If you see the match, we lost the match in the second half, why? If we had opportunities and don’t take it, you get punished… the next time we will work on our efficiencies and take more of our opportunities. We are good at home, and we will see in the next games in Lubumbashi.”

A week from now Lupopo will face Sudanese side Al Hilal at home.