Rulani Mokwena calls for fair play from Orlando Pirates in MTN8 final

The Brazilians mentor says fixtures against the Buccaneers have a habit of leaving his side with casualties. 

READ: Rulani Mokwena responds to Jose Riveiro’s MTN8 final attendance comment

Mokwena wants to witness an encounter with fewer contentious incidents.

"Hopefully it's a very good game of football, without the harassment of referees, the physicality of tackles that are over the top.

"You know, almost every game we lose a player against Pirates with a very severe injury – Haashim Domingo in the Carling Black Label [Cup], [Abbubeker] Nessir is still not here because of the situation with [Siyabonga] Mpontshane.

"In the last game [in September], [Nkosinathi] Sibisi took Marcello [Allende] out on the halfway line with a studs-up two-footed tackle, and Marcello hasn't really recovered from that.

"So I'm hoping for a game that doesn't have too much of those, and we have more football, and people are able to talk about the football and less about the 'handbags' – things on the periphery."

Mokwena is chasing a first domestic cup trophy – outside the league title – as Sundowns’ sole head coach since his appointment 12 months ago, later followed by a four-year contract, but he knows Pirates won’t be slouches. 

"Of course, it's a difficult opponent with some very good players on the pitch, and an opponent playing its third cup final as a group," he acknowledged.

"So, we know and we understand the magnitude of the assignment, and we have to go for it as well."

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