Orlando Pirates striker Zakhele Lepasa has commented on reports that he clapped as if to applaud as Mamelodi Sundowns midfielder Haashim Domingo was roughly tackled by Tapelo Xoki in Saturday's Carling Black Label Cup final.
Xoki was red-carded for the incident, while Domingo was substituted because of the injury he suffered from the challenge.
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Since the Brazilians defeated Bucs 4-0 at FNB Stadium, the victory has been overshadowed by the off-field events after Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena voiced out displeasure at Lepasa and Kermit Erasmus, following their exchange of words from the respective benches.
In some of the interviews since the match, Mokwena said he was reacting to Lepasa for clapping after the tackle as if he was applauding Xoki for his behaviour.
The coach said Erasmus then remonstrated and said things to him which he felt he did not deserve.
Lepasa took to his official Twitter account to deny the clapping incident while explaining his actions.
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"I would like to put it on record that I did not encourage my teammate Tapelo Xoki for kicking an opponent. It is factually incorrect to suggest that I – or any of my teammates, at that, would do that," he tweeted.
"I stood up to console up my teammate because I know how important this game was to him. I understand that football is an emotional game and at the time everyone's emotions were high. But I know for a fact that his act was not intentional. I would like to wish Domingo a speedy recovery and all the best for the future," tweeted the forward.
Lepasa is one of the three Pirates players named in Hugo Broos' Bafana Bafana squad along with Monnapule Saleng and Miguel Timm for international friendly matches against Mozambique and Angola on Thursday and Sunday respectively.
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