Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: VAR can’t solve Downs, Pirates pen?

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Mamelodi Sundowns News Today: VAR can’t solve Downs, Pirates pen?

Latest Mamelodi Sundowns news in the last 24 hours, including Dr. Danny Jordaan claiming VAR couldn’t help Masandawana against Olando Pirates penalty, Kaizer Chiefs formation criticized, and more.

Sundowns news as they break

VAR can’t solve Downs, Pirates pen?

SAFA President Dr. Danny Jordaan has discussed why the VAR won’t settle debates such as penalty incidents that happened in the MTN8 final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates.

Referee Abongile Tom had two big calls to make in the MTN8 final, after awarding Pirates a penalty early in the second stanza in what appeared to be a shoulder-to-shoulder nudge by Teboho Mokoena on Yanela Mbuthuma.

The final that Sundowns won 2-0 ended in controversy, after The Brazilians were given what looked like a soft penalty in stoppage time, after Siyanda Ndlovu tumbled innocuously inside the box from a tussle with Thapelo Mokobodi.

At a media briefing of the Department of Sport, Arts and Culture, who invited SAFA to give their own update on the implementation of VAR, Jordaan suggested what would be the main scope and benefits of the review technology.

“VAR won’t settle the disputes, whether it was a penalty or not. You saw even in the World Cup, they showed VAR over and over and they still had a debate. You’re not going to stop debating. If it was a penalty or not, VAR is not going to convince them. VAR will assist them,” Jordaan said.

SAFA president Danny Jordaan.
Photo – Imago

“What is important in VAR, if you look at it, why was Themba Zwane sent off (at the 2026 FIFA World Cup)? The referee did not see it. VAR brought the attention to the referee. So that is why we’re saying the modernization of football, very soon players in the PSL, in the NFD, will understand that no longer can I kick the player behind the referees’ eyes.

“Because a lot of injuries occur when players think that the referee is not looking, so there will be a 360 (degree) view of the match by the referee and VAR and that will help to protect the players and to modernize the game,” Jordaan added.

Ex-Downs star criticizes Chiefs formation and defensive disability

Former Bafana Bafana and Mamelodi Sundowns defender Matthew Booth has raised questions over Kaizer Chiefs’ 3-5-2 formation and defensive stability.

Chiefsplayed out to a frustrating 1-1 draw against Stellenbosch FC at the FNB Stadium in their last Betway Premiership outing on Tuesday. The manner in which Stellies unlocked the Soweto giants’ defence for Sinoxolo Kwayiba’s opening goal raised massive alarm bells for Booth.

he former towering centre-back, who enjoyed a distinguished 18-year professional playing career, earning 37 national caps and winning multiple league titles with Sundowns, slammed the backline’s static positioning, pointing out that having three central defenders marking a single attacker left them utterly exposed.

“The right side centre-back in that situation should be pushing up into a gap. You can’t be standing flat, marking a player, as the coach mentioned,” Booth said on SuperSport TV’s Extra Time.

“There was no immediate pressure on the ball carrier; they were able to rotate it back on the inside far too easily, and your back three centre-backs are marking one player.

“The modern centre-back in a back three has to be versatile, has to be moving into space, and they just did not do that. They were too static, and Stellenbosch took advantage of it,” he explained.

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz
Photo – Kaizer Chiefs

Da Cruz appears to have heavily preferred a three centre-back defensive structure as of late, fielding a highly conservative line-up against Stellies that featured up to seven defensive-minded players.

While the strategy is intended to provide stability, Amakhosi have already conceded eight goals in their opening eight league matches of the season.

This defensive record raises concerns when compared to their direct rivals; arch-rivals Orlando Pirates have maintained incredible frugality by shipping in just one goal, while log leaders Sundowns have let in seven.

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Willis Sob

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Willis Sob is a sports betting expert and journalist covering Nigeria and South Africa, with 16 years of experience. With a background in journalism, reporting and programme production, he specialises in football odds, and his work has appeared on OK Africa and GOAL, as well as TV, radio and podcasts.

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