‘He decided to swim’ – Ex-PSL referee dismisses Chiefs’ Soweto Derby penalty appeal

Former PSL referee Victor Hlungwani has praised match official Eugene Mdluli for his decisive handling of a penalty appeal during Orlando Pirates’ derby victory over Kaizer Chiefs.

The incident sparked controversy among Amakhosi supporters, who felt their side should have been awarded a spot-kick when Flavio Da Silva went to ground under a challenge from Deon Hotto inside the penalty area.

However, television replays indicated that Da Silva initiated the contact with Hotto’s planted leg before falling, suggesting an attempt to win a foul through simulation.

The appeal came during a match where a dominant Pirates side secured a 3-0 win, strengthening their position at the top of the PSL standings with only 12 matches remaining in the 2025-26 season.

What did Victor Hlungwani say?

Analysing the play on SABC, Hlungwani confirmed that Mdluli made the correct call by waving away the penalty claims.

“There was a penalty appeal here between Hotto and Da Silva,” Hlungwani explained on the channel’s Soccerzone programme.

“Let’s see who kicked who. You can see there Hotto’s leg is grounded, he even touched the ball. Therefore, Da Silva made contact with Hotto’s leg and decided to ‘swim’ at FNB Stadium,” he said, using a colloquialism for diving.

“So, when he ‘swims’, the referee says, ‘no, the leg is grounded, it’s on the ground.’ Therefore, the player did not kick an opponent, did not trip an opponent. So, it was the correct decision by Eugene Mdluli not to give a penalty.”