Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has one big plea for the MTN8 final; that the refereeing will be at a good level so that supporters talk more about the football than tackles that are over the top.
Sundowns take on defending champions Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final at Moses Mabhida Stadium on Saturday, having recently met in a Premiership match which produced nine yellow cards.
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There were a lot of tackles flying during that match, as Pirates collected two yellow cards, while the other seven went to the Tshwane giants. As they prepare for the final on Saturday, Mokwena made a plea.
"Hopefully it's a good game of football without the harassment of referees, without physicality of tackles that are over the top. Almost every game, we lose a player against Pirates, like with a very severe injury. Haashim Domingo in the Carling Black Label, (Abbubeker) Nasir is still not here because of the situation with (Siyabonga) Mpontshane and in the last game, (Nkosinathi) Sibisi took Marcelo (Allende) out on the halfway line with a studs up, two-footed tackle. And Marcelo has not really recovered from that," the Sundowns coach said during a press conference held at Chloorkop of Thursday, ahead of the final.
"So, I am hoping for a game that does not have too much of those and we have more football, you know, and the people are able to talk more about the football and less about the handbags, the things on the periphery. So, hopefully that's the type of game we get to witness."
Sundowns come up against a Pirates side that has been struggling recently, but they are not paying too much attention to that. They are preparing well to ensure they are ready for whatever the game throws at them.
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"We've been preparing well. We've tried to focus a little bit on understanding what personality is needed from us on Saturday and the players have been responding well," Mokwena said.
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