Rulani Mokwena lashes out at ‘below par’ Mamelodi Sundowns performance

The Brazilians took the lead through midfielder Marcelo Allende in the second half, but the goal was almost immediately cancelled out by defender Tapelo Xoki from the penalty spot as the DStv Premiership clash ended in a 1-1 stalemate. 

REPORT: Orlando Pirates restrict Mamelodi Sundowns to draw

Mokwena said nothing about the fixture was positive, as tempers flared and led to players often coming together in skirmishes.

"I don't like the 90 minutes. I think for a game of football, you need three good teams, and I think there were three teams that were below par today – of course, one of them being mine," said Mokwena.

"When my team, as the coach, is not playing well and hasn't played well, I'm the first, of course, that needs to be accountable for that, and I don't think that was a good game of football, in my opinion. I think [there was] far too many off-the-ball incidents; far too many elbows, and ja."

Mokwena also cautioned that the growing rivalry between Sundowns and Pirates should also serve to provide football that is pleasing to the eye, not brawls and delay the match – robbing fans of value. 

"As long as they play on the pitch, and it's sorted out on the pitch with football, I don't have a problem with rivalries. I think rivalries are good, I think they're good for South African football – you find them all over the world, but they must be [contested with a football]," he added.

"I don't think we want to get to a scenario we had in the El Clasico a few years ago, where for 90 minutes we don't watch football and it's just handbags the whole 90 minutes, and I don't think I want to be part of that.

The Downs coach chose his words carefully when rating the officiating in a game where referee Thando Ndzandzeka sent off Pirates midfielder Miguel Timm, awarded a spot kick while also flashing several yellow cards. 

"I don't think the referees had control of the game either, so ja. I don't talk about referees, so the less I say the better, but it's not a game of football that I like at all," Mokwena concluded.

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