Despite travelling with the Congolese side FC Saint-Eloi Lupopo for their Group C CAF Champions League match against Mamelodi Sundowns on Saturday, Dieumerci Mukoko Amale will be watching from the stands after being handed a suspension by CAF.
Mukoko hogged the limelight, albeit for all the wrong reasons, during his side’s dramatic elimination of Orlando Pirates in the Champions League qualification phase last month.
The volatile second-leg match at Orlando Stadium saw both the Buccaneers and their Congolese opponents reduced to 10 men after Tshepang Moremi and Christopher Sumbu were sent off in the first half.
While FC Lupopo ultimately lost the second leg 3-0 on the day, they secured their spot in the Champions League group stage by defeating Pirates in a penalty shootout. This came after the aggregate score remained deadlocked at 3-3, following Lupopo’s identical 3-0 victory in the first leg at home.
Dramatic incidents marred that fixture, with FC Lupopo’s right-back Mukoko at the heart of the controversy. His unsporting conduct included a headbutt attempt on Pirates’ Masindi Nemtajela and a stomp on the heel of Oswin Appollis.
His animated and provocative celebrations directed at the Pirates’ bench after winning duels were also flagged as unsporting. Mukoko went on to have a confrontation with Pirates captain Nkosinathi Sibisi on the touchline.
The most theatrical moment was his reaction to a shove from Moremi. Mukoko exaggerated the fall, dramatically rolling on the turf while clutching his face.
DIEUMERCI MUKOKO AMALE SUSPENDED FOR TWO CAF MATCHES
Despite escaping punishment during the match itself, CAF has reviewed the footage and subsequently issued the ban, ruling him out of the crucial clash with Sundowns.
In a CAF circular seen by FARPost, the melodramatic defender, who wore jersey number 36, has been suspended for two CAF club competition matches. It means he will miss the match against Sundowns on Saturday at Loftus Versveld Stadium in Pretoria.
He will also miss Lupopo’s clash against Al Hilal SC next weekend “for assault and unsporting behaviour against an opponent [Appollis], in accordance with Articles 11 and 123 of the CAF Disciplinary Code.”
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