SAFA to 'leave no stone unturned' after Mosimane abuse incident The South African Football Association has condemned the abu...
SAFA to 'leave no stone unturned' after Mosimane abuse incident
The South African Football Association has condemned the abuse directed at Al Ahly head coach Pitso Mosimane by some of the Sundowns’ supporters ahead of the CAF Champions League quarter-final clash.
The Reds have reached the CAF Champions League semi-finals for the 17th time after repeating their last year’s 3-1 aggregate victory over Mamelodi Sundowns.
A 2-0 victory in the first-leg in Cairo was followed by a 1-1 draw in Pretoria as Al Ahly will now face Espérance Sportive de Tunis in the semi-finals next June.
Expected to receive a welcoming return by the fans of the club he led to 10 trophies, Mosimane was subject to insults and abuse ahead of the game by a group of Sundowns fans.
As the Al Ahly bus approached the Lucas Moripe Stadium, signs with vulgar abuse were aimed at Pitso as security had to escort them out.
SAFA CEO, Advocate Tebogo Motlanthe said they will get to the bottom of the matter and bring the culprits to book.
‘’These individuals have not only humiliated coach Pitso Mosimane, they have brought the name of the country into disrepute and as SAFA we will leave no stone unturned in identifying these individuals and hand out harshest of penalty to the perpetrators,’’ Motlanthe said.
‘’We have requested for an urgent report from the security and police at the stadium and we will also await report from the club. We are treating this matter with the urgency and seriousness it deserves.
“We cannot tolerate this; Mosimane is our proud ambassador and what these people did needs to be condemned by all civilised society,’’ he concluded.
Mosimane's Departure at Sundowns
Mosimane departed from Sundowns around a year ago following the departure of René Weiler, since then the South African coach has won CAF Champions League title, Egyptian Premier League title, Egyptian Cup title, and FIFA club world cup bronze medal.
Pitso was visibly furious at the abuse and stormed out of the stadium in anger at the end of this evenly contested quarter-final CAF Champions League second leg match.
Al Ahly will be facing Espérance in the CAF Champions League semi-finals, first leg will be in Tunis June 18th, while the second leg will be in Egypt a week later.
COMMENTS