Abongile Tom faces fresh scrutiny after Champions League refereeing controversy

South African referee Abongile Tom came under renewed scrutiny after a series of contentious decisions in the CAF Champions League match between Zimbabwean side Scottland FC and Petro de Luanda of Angola.

Tom had only recently been criticised for two penalty decisions in the MTN8 final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates. The Tshwane side won that match 2-0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium just over a week ago, but supporters and former referees questioned both calls.

The 34-year-old was again at the centre of controversy during Scottland FC’s 2-0 victory over Petro de Luanda in the second preliminary round, first leg at National Sports Stadium in Harare.

Tom sent off Petro goalkeeper Hugo Marques with a straight red card barely a minute into the match. Marques had rushed out of his penalty area and fouled an opposition attacker, with the referee deciding that he was the last defender and had denied an obvious goal-scoring opportunity.

However, replays appeared to show that Marques had defensive cover. Several Petro players had recovered and were positioned behind him when the former Cape Town City goalkeeper made the challenge.

The decision was followed by another incident involving Petro’s replacement goalkeeper. A through ball was handled outside the penalty area, but Tom allowed play to continue, leaving commentators and home supporters surprised.

Petro, known as the Tricolors, were forced to play with 10 men for almost the entire match. They resisted until midway through the second half, when Khama Billiat broke the deadlock for the home side.

Knowledge Musona completed the scoring 10 minutes before the end, giving Scottland FC a 2-0 advantage from the first leg.

The latest incidents come after former referees assessed Tom’s performance in the MTN8 final between Sundowns and Pirates. While one refereeing expert said he had done well overall, two incidents were singled out for criticism.

Tom’s latest Champions League decisions have now added to the recent debate surrounding his officiating, with both matches featuring calls that had a direct influence on the outcome.