Irate Mamelodi Sundowns coach Pitso Mosimane has fired a salvo at Moroccan side Wydad Casablanca and accused the visitors of trying to intimidate the match officials during a highly charged and emotional CAF Champions League group stages encounter at Lucas Moripe stadium on Saturday night.

Mosimane took strong exception to the Moroccans' conduct after the Brazilians won the match 2-1 courtesy of a brace from Themba Zwane.

“They are used to winning‚ a loss to them is something different and they know how to manipulate the system by pressurizing referees‚" he said.

"It is for the first time I saw a referee and an assistant moving out of the pitch to look for balls.

“This happens every week but I have never seen referees going to look for balls‚ but the bench put pressure on them.

"That’s why the North Africans dominate this space.

"We don’t know how to play with them but we are getting there.

"In the tunnel in Esperance‚ officials came to me directly when we were playing against the Libyans and they created a little bit of problems.

"But we shrugged it off because we have been in this thing for five years.”

Mosimane said the days of Sundowns being “cheeseboys” and playing “ice cream” football are over and they are going to fight fire with fire on the continent and in the Absa Premiership.

The Sundowns mentor said his players have become accustomed to dealing with the tough challenges posed by continental sides like Wydad‚ a well-travelled team that has gained valuable experience in the competition over the years.

“Sundowns can never be an ice cream team where they play nice football all the time‚" he said.

"We are getting wiser and we now know how to play in this competition because it is not always about the game but your mental attitude.

“Gone are the days where Sundowns are cheeseboys‚ not when I am still here.

"We have to fight fire with fire‚ even in the PSL.

"Any stadium we will be going to‚ we are going to fight fire with fire and if you cannot have the spirit and the mentality‚ you will never play in my team.”

Source: TMG Digital.