‘Which team plays the day after Bafana?’ fumes Sundowns coach Mokwena

19 October 2023 - 13:35
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Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena during the Carling Knockout last-16 match against TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday night.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena during the Carling Knockout last-16 match against TS Galaxy at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday night.
Image: Dirk Kotze/Gallo Images

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has lambasted the decision that saw his team play their Carling Knockout Cup game against TS Galaxy a day after Bafana Bafana’s match against Ivory Coast. 

Sundowns were knocked out 5-4 on penalties by the Rockets after the game ended in a 2-2 draw in 120 minutes at Mbombela Stadium on Wednesday night. 

The Pretoria giants had seven players — Ronwen Williams, Khuliso Mudau, Mothobi Mvala, Aubrey Modiba, Teboho Mokoena, Themba Zwane and Grant Kekana — on national duty with Bafana, who drew 1-1 in their friendly against the Elephants in Abidjan on Tuesday night. 

Sundowns' Peter Shalulile and Lucas Ribeiro were out injured.

The cup tie was moved forward to make space for Downs’ participation in Caf’s hugely lucrative new African Football League (AFL). This after initial PSL resistance to alter its calendar was ended by Confederation of African Football intervention.

“Which team plays the day after the national team plays and has five players in the starting line-up [of Bafana], which team?” Mokwena asked angrily after the defeat.   

“We are the first team to do that, but no one will care. The blame will be on the coach. That’s OK. That's the job I chose and that’s the responsibility I should take.”   

Sundowns travel to Angola for their AFL quarterfinal first-leg clash against Petro de Luanda on Saturday (5.30pm).

Masandawana’s defeat to Galaxy means they have missed out on two domestic trophies, effectively in the space of their last two matches. They also lost on penalties to Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final in Durban before the Fifa break.   

“That’s life, you win some, you lose some, and you lose more than you win,” Mokwena said.   

“When we have been winning and going more than 365 days without a defeat, we have been happy.

“And we’ve been the best coaches and the best players in the world. So when we lose, we become the worst coaches and worst players in the world. It's how the cookie crumbles.”


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