Hlungwani says Sundowns’ Ndamane goal should have counted

Former Premier Soccer League referee Victor Hlungwani says Mamelodi Sundowns defender Khulumani Ndamane’s disallowed goal should have stood in their MTN8 semi-final second-leg victory over Golden Arrows.

Ndamane appeared to put Sundowns 2-0 ahead after 30 minutes, but referee Luxolo Badi cancelled out the effort after receiving a signal from the assistant referee on the far side of the pitch.

The goal was ruled out for an alleged handball, a decision that led to considerable frustration among Sundowns supporters. Miguel Cardoso’s side eventually secured a 3-2 win in the second leg, but the incident remained the main talking point for many Masandawana fans.

Hlungwani, who previously officiated in the PSL, believes the ball did not strike Ndamane’s hand and that the goal should have been allowed. However, he also offered an explanation for why Badi may have made the decision during the match.

“Ndamane scored a goal. This goal was ruled offside,” ‘The Principal’ said on Soccerzone.

“This goal was ruled offside or handball, but we’re going to show it to you that this ball did not touch the hand.

“But it’s only us with benefit of slow motion with the naked eye.

“You see it hits the chest there or the stomach there. Very close.”

The incident was assessed differently depending on the viewing angle and the speed at which the action was seen. Hlungwani’s view, after examining the footage in slow motion, was that contact was made with Ndamane’s chest or stomach rather than his hand.

He nevertheless acknowledged that the decision would have been difficult to make in real time. The assistant referee’s signal prompted Badi to disallow the goal, denying Sundowns what they believed was a two-goal advantage during the first half.

Despite the setback, Cardoso’s team recovered sufficiently to win the match 3-2 against Golden Arrows. The result meant the disputed decision did not prevent Mamelodi Sundowns from claiming victory in the semi-final second leg, although the circumstances surrounding Ndamane’s effort continued to provoke debate.

Hlungwani’s analysis therefore separates the question of whether the ball touched Ndamane’s hand from the practical difficulty faced by the match officials. In his opinion, the available slow-motion footage showed no handball, while the speed of the incident and the close proximity of the ball to the defender’s upper body explained why the officials reached a different conclusion.

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