Orlando Pirates coach Josef Zinnbauer has spoken on the absence of striker Tshegofatso Mabasa, who was left completely out of the squad against Bidvest Wits on Sunday.
Mabasa is Pirates second top goal scorer this season behind Gabadinho Mhango, who was suspended during their Nedbank Cup penalty shootout defeat to Wits at Orlando Stadium.
The Malawian's absence was thought to have made way for the ex-Bloemfontein Celtic forward to earn his first start under Zinnbauer, but he was instead left out of the matchday squad as Zakhele Lepasa earned his first top flight start and scored his first goal for the club.
"We have a lot of good strikers, and this game was for us suited to Lepasa because he gave a step more. The next game, maybe other players will come into the starting line-up," said the German.
"But it was a decision we made, he [Lepasa] won the penalty and scored a goal. Maybe if we won then you would come and say, 'Hey, top Lepasa!'
"Now it's a question of top or not top, but we made a top game and Gavin [Hunt] said this too – it was a top game for the supporters, both teams fought to the end and it was a big game.
"But 'Gaba' will come back, Ben [Motshwari] will come back too, and then we have more experience and maybe in the next league game we'll have more luck with the same performance as the second half.
"I don't think we played a bad game, all supporters say both teams made a top game."