Former PSL referee Victor Hlungwani has given match official Luxolo Badi full marks for getting all his decisions spot on during Kaizer Chiefs’ Carling Knockout quarter-final loss to Mamelodi Sundowns.
Chiefs lost the match 4-0 and were 3-0 down by halftime after a number of decisions that were questioned by fans.
The first one was Njabulo Blom’s foul on Lucas Ribeiro Costa in the box that resulted in a penalty for Sundowns, converted by Iqraam Rayners in the 14th minute, for the Brazilians’ first goal.
There had been claims that the penalty should not have been given but Hlungwani has now cleared any doubts.
“There’s a penalty given, some say ‘Was it a foul or not’? Let’s go to it and see,” Hlungwani said on SABC.
No doubts over Sundowns penalty & Shalulile’s goal
“If you are behind my friend, if you are behind Blom whatever you do it’s an infringement on the laws of the game. You can see that he starts with the knee and he also got him on the ground there. So here, correct decision there by Luxolo Badi for giving a penalty.”
Rayners would add a second goal before Peter Shaulile scored the third in the 40th minute and it is that strike that was the subject of contention when it was claimed that the Namibian forward was in an offside position.
“Shalulile scored a goal and people are saying he’s offside, but let’s go and see. The law says a player cannot be offside if he’s behind the ball or there’s an opponent close by,” added Hlungwani.
“So, now if you look at it here, you’ll see that Shalulile is behind the ball. He’s not even in an offside position when you’re behind the ball. Correct decision by Zakhele Siwela [assistant referee] not to flag because the player is behind the ball. It complies with the laws of the game.”
Did Inacio Miguel deserve a red card?
Chiefs’ day went from bad to worse when defender Inacio Miguel was sent off for a second bookable offence in the 54th minute before Sundowns added a fourth goal seven minutes later from Khuliso Mudau.
“Let’s go to the last one where we see a second yellow card given to Miguel. This is the first yellow where he tripped or what we call SPA [Stopping a Promising Attack] on Lucas Ribeiro. So, he got a yellow card,” said ‘The Principal.’
“Now, the second one, was it necessary for him to commit this offence because I see it as a cover, but Luxolo Badi there being on top form for this match, here there’s holding an offense by Miguel on Shalulile there, but [Rushwin] Dortley is covering.
“I don’t know why he took one for the team. To me, I think it was unnecessary but then Luxolo Badi correctly positioned, issued a second yellow and a red card. Correct decision by Luxolo Badi.”
