As referees are scrutinised, Sergio Dos Santos speaks out about officiating the Soweto Derby.

Former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Sergio Dos Santos voiced his displeasure with the way the match officials handled Saturday's eagerly awaited match between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates, drawing attention to the officiating during the Soweto Derby.

Expectations are usually high when the two Soweto heavyweights square off in the Soweto Derby, one of the greatest events on the South African football calendar. Beyond the rivalry, there is a lot of pressure on the match because every call made by the referee has the potential to significantly affect the outcome.

Dos Santos expressed his dissatisfaction with various aspects of the officiating, indicating that some circumstances should have been handled more skilfully by the match officials. He took care, nevertheless, to avoid giving the referee complete control over the game's outcome.

His comments, especially "I'm not gonna say the referee decided the game," show a measured stance on a topic that has grown more contentious in South African football.

Yanela Mbuthuma's goal in the 24th minute for the Orlando Pirates was one of Dos Santos' main worries. According to the former Amakhosi coach, allowing the goal was especially dubious because the Pirates striker was already offside when the pass was made.

He clarified that the assistant referee may have been puzzled by a Kaizer Chiefs defender's movement, but he insisted that the pivotal time was prior to the defender's movement.

Tshepang Moremi's second goal for the Pirates in the 55th minute also caused Dos Santos to voice concerns. He said that the goal might have been disallowed for offside even though he described the incident as quite close.

The rising discussion about the Premier Soccer League's officiating standards has taken on a new dimension as a result of these observations.

Following his team's 2-1 loss, new Amakhosi head coach Fernando Da Cruz also voiced his dissatisfaction with the match referees. The former Chiefs coach's remarks follow.

Da Cruz suggested that one of the Buccaneers players might have been given a second yellow card and questioned the choice to permit the Pirates' initial goal.

In the meantime, debates concerning the implementation of Video Assistant Referee technology in South African football have been rekindled by the incident. Dr. Irvin Khoza, the chairman of the PSL, has stated that while SAFA is in charge of implementing VAR, the league is prepared to assist it.

Because the loss came against their fiercest rivals in such a crucial match, Kaizer Chiefs supporters are sure to continue debating the choices.

Dos Santos' position is interesting, though. He has refrained from implying that the referee was solely to blame for the Chiefs' defeat in the derby, even if he thinks the officials made costly errors.

The debate over the officiating is not going away, even though the 2-1 outcome is still in the annals of history.

Source https://x.com/KickOffMagazine/status/2117905344064098474?a=PkhVhBdWQuhd865Kbro&s=19