Referee Victor Hlungwani defends controversial decisions in the Kaizer Chiefs versus Mamelodi Sundowns clash.
Former Premier Soccer League referee ‘The Principal’ Hlungwani has weighed in on the contentious decisions during the high stakes match, asserting that the referee made the right calls on both accounts.
Chiefs initially took the lead with a goal from Ranga Chivaviro, but Sundowns responded with two goals from Lucas Ribeiro and Iqraam Rayners before halftime. A major point of contention arose over Ribeiro’s goal, as many fans argued he was offside in the build-up. Hlungwani dismissed these claims, stating. “Here we see a ball played by Rivaldo Coetzee. When we draw the line we can see that a leg of Miguel is putting Lucas(Ribeiro) onside,” as quoted by iDiski Times.
Offside controversy explained
Hlungwani clarified the offside situation further, noting. “We see here Allende is offside, Rayners is offside, but it’s not an offence to be in an offside position. When the ball is played that the player is from an onside position, he attacks, he crosses, a goal is scored. This goal was scored correctly in line with the laws of the game.”
Late equaliser disallowed
The former referee also addressed the late equaliser from Chiefs, which was ruled out by referee Gasa for a foul by Ignacio Miguel on Mosa Lebusa. Hlungwani explained, “We can see Mduduzi made a cross and Miguel headed the ball and it ended up in the net. But the referee is blowing the whistle for a foul; there is a push inside the penalty area. This whistle came before the ball entered the net.”
He emphasised, “The law says ‘a goal is scored when the ball ends up in the back of the net, provided no offence was committed by the team scoring a goal.’ You cannot use hands; football does not allow the use of hands. There was an offence, the push, which the referee blew.”
Support for referees decisions
With his insights, Hlungwani reinforces the notion that the referee made the right decisions during this heated encounter, providing clarity to the controversies that have stirred discussions among fans. As the season unfolds, understanding these officiating nuances will be crucial for fans and teams alike.
Stay tuned with The South African , as referee Victor Hlungwani defends controversial decisions.
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