Sekhukhune United captain Linda Mntambo eyes MTN8 glory

Sekhukhune United captain, Linda Mntambo, is confident his team can make history this season by winning their first-ever trophy, the MTN8.

Mntambo will lead Babina Noko as they kick off their 2025/26 season against TS Galaxy on Saturday evening [6PM] at the Ne Peter Mokaba Stadium in Polokwane.

The captain’s optimism is well-founded, given that the team is under the guidance of Eric Tinkler, a coach with a proven track record of winning silverware, including the MTN8 with SuperSport United.

But Sekhukhune has a history of early exits in the MTN8, having failed to advance past the first hurdle in their two previous appearances. Mntambo acknowledges this challenge but believes this season will be different.

“This is our third season (playing) in the MTN8, and we have never got past the first hurdle,” he stated. “So we just have to go past it and get more games under our belts because the semi-final is two-legged. We must just keep focused and keep doing what we have been doing.”

While initially cautious, Mntambo didn’t shy away from expressing Sekhukhune’s ultimate ambition to lift the trophy. “Every team in it wants to win it,” he affirmed. “Our focus is on the job at hand – beating Galaxy and getting past the first hurdle. But yeah, for sure we want to win a trophy or two as players so we can write our names in the history books of the club.”

For Mntambo, leading the team to cup glory would be a personal highlight. “It would be nice as captain, I would love to lift the trophy, cement my name – not as a legend – but as the one to have brought a (first) trophy to the club.” He also highlighted the significant R10 million prize money as an added incentive, while emphasising the team isn’t putting undue pressure on themselves.