Former PSL referee says both MTN8 final penalties were wrongly awarded

Former PSL referee Zolile Mthetho has ruled that neither of the two penalty decisions in the MTN8 final should have been given, after Mamelodi Sundowns beat Orlando Pirates 2-0.

Sundowns moved ahead early through Teboho Mokoena, before Orlando Pirates were handed a chance to level shortly after the hour mark.

Referee Abongile Tom pointed to the spot after Yanela Mbuthuma went down in the penalty area during a challenge with Mokoena. The incident appeared to involve a shoulder-to-shoulder contest, with both players attempting to reach a chipped pass from Tshepang Moremi.

Mthetho, a former PSL Referee of the Season, said the challenge did not meet the requirements for a foul.

“According to law, shoulder-to-shoulder is not a foul. Already the player who was judged to be fouled by Teboho Mokoena was already going down, so he took advantage of the nudge of the shoulder by Mokoena and fell. So, basically, it was not supposed to have been given as a foul or as a penalty,” Mthetho told KickOff in an exclusive interview.

“That is according to law.

“Because in a shoulder-to-shoulder, there is no foul, irrespective of the area it takes place. In the penalty area, outside the penalty area, in the centre circle, everywhere in the field of play, there is no foul for a shoulder-to-shoulder.”

Orlando Pirates missed the resulting penalty, allowing Mamelodi Sundowns to retain their advantage in the final.

There was another penalty appeal in stoppage time, this time at the other end, when Siyanda Ndlovu went down inside the box after a tussle with Thapelo Mokobodi. The incident took place just inside the area and resulted in a spot-kick being awarded to Sundowns.

Mthetho initially believed the decision was correct but changed his view after watching replays.

“At first glance, I saw a foul, but after two or three slow-motions, I could see that there was no foul,” he said.

“The Sundowns player was (initially) behind the Pirates defender and then the Pirates defender fell. Now after he fell, the Sundowns attacker, Ndlovu, seems to have been held on foot by the Pirates player who was already down.

“But when you check the slow motion, there was no such. So, in both (penalty) incidents, there were no fouls.”

Mthetho said the two decisions demonstrated why South African football should consider introducing Video Assistant Referee technology.

“I think it is high time for us here in South Africa to involve VAR (Video Assistant Referee), because both penalty incidents would have been turned down by the VAR,” he added.