Despite securing a Betway Premiership victory over Marumo Gallants at Peter Mokaba Stadium last Saturday, Zothwane remains concerned about his team's inability to consistently keep clean sheets.
Sekhukhune have conceded eight goals since the start of the campaign; an issue the coach believes needs urgent attention as they look to maintain their progress in the league and challenge for honours.
The victory over Gallants lifted Babina Noko to sixth place on the standings, with 14 points from eight matches. However, Zothwane believes their defensive organisation must improve if they are to turn positive results into sustained success.
"You win matches, and you win championships by not conceding a lot of goals," Zothwane told reporters.
"We have to work on that. We have worked on our defensive structure, but we just have to stay in the game even when we are tired. We need to stay focused because some of the teams we play against have technically gifted players."
The coach also emphasised the need for his players to remain disciplined throughout matches, warning that allowing opponents to exploit their pace and gain momentum could prove costly.
"We can't allow them to use their pace and find momentum in the game because they will punish you. We will work on that ahead of our next games against Richards Bay and other teams like Milford, so that we can improve our goal difference," he added.
Zothwane will have an immediate opportunity to build on his team's recent league success when Sekhukhune host Richards Bay FC in the opening round of the Carling Knockout at the New Peter Mokaba Stadium on Sunday.
Kaizer Chiefs coach Fernando Da Cruz has called for unity within the club as Amakhosi look to end their winless run and rescue their CAF Confederation Cup campaign against Red Arrows at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Friday.
Senegal will have to wait until the end of November to discover whether they can reclaim the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) title after the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) confirmed that its ruling on their appeal would take several more weeks.
Orlando Pirates head coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes having a large backroom staff is crucial to managing the demands of modern football, with the Buccaneers boasting between 18 and 19 technical team members.
Orlando Pirates coach Abdeslam Ouaddou believes careful player management will be crucial as the Soweto giants prepare for a demanding season that could see them feature in close to 60 matches.
