Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane blames the referee’s performance for their 2-1 defeat against AmaZulu at the Lucas Moripe Stadium on Saturday.

The Brazilians suffered their second straight defeat in the Absa Premiership after veteran strikers Siyabonga Nomvethe and Mabhuti Khenyeza cancelled out Thokozani Sekotlong’s eighth-minute opener.

Mosimane says his side have to accept the defeat and show their leadership as they look to bounce back when they play  Chippa United in the Telkom Knockout Cup.

‘It’s tough times. We lose jobs, people get angry, our supporters get agitated. What can we do?’ Mosimane told the media after the game.

‘When times are like this it reveals too many things. We need to calm down and show leadership and accept it, but how do you accept it? It’s very difficult, it’s tough.’

Mosimane feels the officiating in the match was the cause of his side suffering two straight defeats in the league.

‘But who is happy? Who is happy? It doesn’t help [because] the opposition are okay. They won, [so] they can say whatever they want to say; they can gloat and tell you technically what what. We’ve lost because of that [referee’s performance],’ he added.

‘It’s difficult [because] I myself need to be motivated. I am a human being. I need to come out of this thing.

‘Do you think I will sleep tonight? But the officials will sleep and they have a smile on the face. Just look at them when they come out. You know why? Nothing happens [to them].’

Mamelodi Sundowns will be hoping to bounce back when they take on Chippa United in the Telkom Knockout Cup at the Sisa Dukashe Stadium on 29 October, with kick-off scheduled for 15:30.