Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has launched a scathing attack on Al Ahly, accusing the Egyptian giants of “complaining about everything”.
Mokwena’s remarks come after AL Ahly released a statement on Monday to CAF, claiming that officiating errors led to the defeat to Sundowns in the African Football League.
Al Ahly lost 1-0 to Sundowns in the first leg of the AFL semi-final last week, and the Egyptian giants’ coach, Marcel Koller, also complained about poor officiating, in particular the VAR officials.
While addressing the media on Tuesday in Cairo ahead of the second leg of the AFL, Mokwena questioned Al Ahly’s status as a big club after the Egyptian giants, stating that they must do the talking on the field of play.
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“I am very surprised that Al Ahly complained about everything,” said Mokwena. “Before the first leg, Al Ahly complained that we played at 3 o’clock, and yet they are allowed to fixture the game at their time that suits them. You hear no complaints from Mamelodi Sundowns.
“I am surprised that Al Ahly are always complaining about the referee, only when they lose. Jose Mourinho once said ‘Once a big club is starting to look for other factors, apart from football, when they lose, they start losing their status as a big club’.
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“And I hope that’s not the case with Al Ahly because they are the flagship of African football. The rest of the world and Europe look at Al Ahly as a reflection of what African football represents.
“So my question after the complaint is, what is really the intention? Because I can go through a list of incidents, where the referees did not act what I thought was the just way.”
Rulani Mokwena added: “Let’s go to the data: Mamelodi Sundowns 67% ball possession, Al Ahly 33% possession. 89% pass completion, 639 passes from Sundowns, double the amount of Al Ahly’s 314. 15 shots on goal, only three for Al Ahly. “When an opponent is better than you, we shake hands. we show good sportsmanship, you congratulate your opponent. And you make sure that the game of football remains the game of football, which is the game that we all love and the beautiful game.”