More football, less handbags - Sundowns coach Mokwena pleads with Pirates

The Mamelodi Sundowns juggernaut will face their biggest challenge to date in the MTN8 final – themselves. 

Orlando Pirates might be the team that will square off with Sundowns at Moses Mabhida Stadium, but whether Sundowns sleep on Saturday night in Durban as champions will depend on whether they win their internal battle or not. 

READ | MTN8 final against Sundowns a defining moment for Pirates coach Riveiro

The all-conquering Brazilians have blown away the competition this season, winning their first eight DStv Premiership matches to become the holders of the longest undefeated run in the league. Sundowns are without a defeat in the league in 32 matches. 

For that record to carry more weight, Sundowns must garnish it with titles. But it won’t be easy, even though they will be coming up against a struggling Pirates side.

The Buccaneers, who have been disappointed with their last four games, will do everything they can to get the better of Sundowns, including dragging the Brazilians to places Rulani Mokwena's side would rather not visit.  

"It's a difficult opponent with some very good players on the pitch, an opponent that's playing its third cup final as a group," Sundowns' coach Mokwena described Pirates. 

"We understand the magnitude of the assignment, and we have to go for it as well. Hopefully, it’s a very good game of football, without the harassment of referees and without the physicality, with tackles that are over the top. 

"In almost every game against Pirates we lose a player with a very severe injury. Hashim Domingo, in the Carling Cup. [Abubeker] Nassir is still not here because of the situation with [Pirates' goalkeeper, Siyabonga] Mpontshane. In the last game, [Nkosinathi] Sibisi took Marcelo [Allende] out on