Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane admits Mosa Lebusa is still ‘paying school fees’ but was pleased with the defender on debut, writes DYLAN APPOLIS.

The 25-year-old joined Sundowns from National First Division outfit Ajax Cape Town after putting pen to paper on a three-year deal at Chloorkop.

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The Free State-born defender was handed his first start in a Sundowns jersey during their 1-0 defeat to Cape Town City in the MTN8 semi-final first leg on Saturday

Mosimane says he was pleased with the defender’s overall performance, despite making the mistake which lead to Taariq Fielies scoring the only goal of the game.

‘Mosa made a mistake by leaving Fielies alone,’ Mosimane said.

‘It is okay, he is going to grow, he has to pay school fees, remember. He comes from another environment, he is in another environment here – it is tough here. Here I have Wayne Arendse, he can sort that out on the bench but I have to give Mosa a chance to play.’

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The 58-year-old coach says he plans on using Lebusa at left centre back and not at left back, a position he was most commonly found playing at Ajax.

‘When he arrived, I said I wanted him as a left centre-back,’ he added.

‘I think he is good, and had a decent game, apart from leaving the player. I must support him. Muhsin [Ertugral, Ajax coach] played with three centre-backs, and I was not happy that he came to me from that kind of system, because I need four at the back, not five.

‘But when I look at how he did without training – we were off on Friday, because at Sundowns there’s no time to train, you just play. But I made him do a lot of match analysis on Nascimento, and asked him to tell me where Nascimento did right or wrong – that’s the training he now does at Sundowns. He has done very well, and did not disappoint against City. He just lost concentration and Fielies scored the goal,’ Mosimane concluded.

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Mamelodi Sundowns will next take on Cape Town City at the Lucas Moripe Stadium in the MTN8 semi-final second leg on 2 August with kick-off set for 3pm.

Photo: Chris Ricco/BackpagePix