‘This time I will speak because it is bad’: Sundowns coach Mokwena on refs

Match officiating in the DStv Premiership came into further sharp focus on Monday night in the 2-2 draw between Moroka Swallows and Mamelodi Sundowns at Dobsonville Stadium. 

The league match, where Sundowns blew a 2-0 lead and had to settle for stretching their lead by a point, was dominated by a confusing officiating moment late in the second half around Swallows’ 85th-minute equaliser by Gabadinho Mhango. 

Downs coach Rulani Mokwena said poor officiating is hurting clubs, specially those at the bottom of the table, and asked for the South African Football Association (Safa), which controls refereeing, to look into the matter. 

“I take the same stance as [Cape Town Spurs coach] Ernst Middendorp when he said you see a lot being done for the qualifications of coaches, who have to do this and that,” he said. 

“I sometimes see, and it is unofficial [what Mokwena is told], but it breaks out even before the season starts. There are tests referees have to undergo and then you hear 'Someone failed the test'. A few weeks later you see him [the same official] officiating a game, but you heard this guy failed a referees' test. 

“I don’t know if it’s the PSL [Premier Soccer League] or Safa but I think it’s Safa as custodians of football. Maybe they have to look at this situation. How many of our referees do international games and why are they not doing international games? 

“As much as we want to be represented by players internationally, who is a South African referee who went to the World Cup? For how many years we only had Abongile Tom and Zakhele Siwela representing us [internationally]? 

“Who is coming after in the Caf Champions League, who is doing games from South Africa? Even in international friendly games there are no South African referees and that should reflect on the state of the situation. 

“Because if they were good enough, their work will speak for them, they would be doing more international games and featuring more on the global stage. It’s easy to say, 'let’s get VAR' but it is also run by a human.”

Sundowns received coverage in the media regarding decisions seen as going their way in recent weeks, including the incident that drew comments from Middendorp, where a penalty was awarded from which Lucas Ribeiro scored the Brazilians' winner when the challenge occurred outside the box. 

There was also a goal disallowed for not crossing the line 100%, a decision upheld by VAR, in their Caf Champions League quarterfinal win against Young Africans, or Yanga, who lodged an official complaint with the Confederation of African Football.

“Let’s go to the Yanga situation. The VAR had to intervene on obvious situations and it said to the referee there is not sufficient evidence to suggest you have made a wrong call,” Mokwena said. 

“Somebody who is sitting behind VAR needs to say to the referee: 'Gabadinho Mhango was offside, he was a metre away from Divine Lunga'. Which defender is relaxed and composed when he has a striker in an offside position breathing down his neck?

“Maybe we don’t understand because we did not play professional football, but I am looking at this situation and I am saying, if I was in that situation, I would also be unsure of what’s happening.” 

Mokwena said inconsistent officiating damages the reputation of South African football. 

“Every week coaches must complain about officials. AmaZulu coach [Pablo Franco Martín] was complaining for the first time [about a contentious penalty decision in Usuthu's defeat against Orlando Pirates on Saturday].

“I will speak because I have not spoken about referees the entire season and this time I will speak because it is very bad.” 

There was debate about whether Mhango's goal — initially overruled by referee Jelly Chavani and his team, but then allowed to stand — was legitimate.

The striker was in a clear offside position by metres when the long ball was played, but arguably not involved in play, so not officially offside. He would then have been played onside by Lunga's backward header that allowed the Birds striker to run through and beat Ronwen Williams.

Sundowns travel to Tunisia for their huge Champions League semifinal first leg meeting against Esperance de Tunis on Saturday.