Lorch to miss the Nedbank Cup final against Pirates

Mamelodi Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena has confirmed that Thembinkosi Lorch will miss the Nedbank Cup final against Orlando Pirates on Saturday.

The 30-year-old winger who joined Masandawana in January played 10 league games, scoring twice. Last week, a video surfaced online showing the Lorch embracing and dancing with two women. The footage went viral after Sundowns clinched their seventh successive DStv Premiership title.

On Thursday, Mokwena revealed Lorch was unavailable for Saturday’s Nedbank Cup final.

“On Lorch, is he available for Saturday? No, he is not available,” he said as per iDiski Times.

“These type of things, and I say this to you guys all the time, when it comes to players you’ll get no negative word from me. I always protect my players in the media.

Lorch ruled out of the Nedbank Cup final

“In a space where I’m open and honest with them, is when I close my office and I have a face-to-face conversation with them.

“So you’re not going to hear anything about Lorch from me today.”

Speaking to Andile Ncube on Sports Night Amplified ahead of the final, Rulani said Lorch was in tears after the video went viral.

“Lorch called me and he was in tears. I don’t want to talk too much about the issue (trending live video) until I’ve spoken to him in person. I will say I’m disappointed because I also told him this on the phone,” Mokwena said.

“Because I’m close to my players when my players are crying and are emotional, I get emotional, and I cry, and I feel their pain too. And that’s how close I am with them,” he continued.

Lorch won’t face his old team this weekend

“Like everybody else, Lorch is human. Like me, who makes mistakes, who is imperfect. I’m probably even more imperfect than him and I probably make more mistakes than him.”

Although Sundowns will be without Lorch in the Nedbank Cup final, the Brazilians are still favourites against Pirates.