Sergio Dos Santos Breaks Silence on Soweto Derby Officiating as Referees Come Under Scrutiny

The officiating during the Soweto Derby continues to attract attention, with former Kaizer Chiefs head coach Sergio Dos Santos expressing his dissatisfaction with how the match officials handled Saturday's highly anticipated encounter between Kaizer Chiefs and Orlando Pirates.

The Soweto Derby is one of the biggest fixtures on the South African football calendar, and expectations are always high when the two Soweto giants meet. Beyond the rivalry, the match carries enormous pressure because every decision made by the referee can have a significant impact on the contest.

Dos Santos did not hide his disappointment with certain aspects of the officiating, suggesting that the match officials could have handled some situations better. However, he was careful not to place the entire outcome of the game on the referee's shoulders.

His remarks, particularly his statement, "I'm not gonna say the referee decided the game," reflect a measured position on an issue that has become increasingly controversial in South African football.

One of Dos Santos' biggest concerns was Orlando Pirates' opening goal, scored by Yanela Mbuthuma in the 24th minute. The former Amakhosi coach believes the Pirates striker was already in an offside position when the pass was played, making the decision to allow the goal particularly questionable.

He explained that the movement of a Kaizer Chiefs defender might have confused the assistant referee, but maintained that the crucial moment occurred before the defender moved.

Dos Santos also raised concerns about Pirates' second goal, scored by Tshepang Moremi in the 55th minute. Although he described the incident as very close, he suggested that the goal could also have been ruled out for offside.

These observations have added another dimension to the growing debate surrounding the standard of officiating in the Premier Soccer League.

The former Chiefs coach's comments come after current Amakhosi head coach Fernando Da Cruz also expressed frustration with the match officials following his team's 2-1 defeat.

Da Cruz questioned the decision to allow Pirates' opening goal and suggested that one of the Buccaneers players could have received a second yellow card.

Meanwhile, the controversy has reignited discussions about the introduction of Video Assistant Referee technology in South African football. PSL chairman Dr Irvin Khoza recently confirmed that the league is ready to support VAR, although the responsibility for its implementation rests with SAFA.

For Kaizer Chiefs supporters, the debate over the decisions is likely to continue, particularly because the defeat came against their biggest rivals in such an important fixture.

However, Dos Santos' position is noteworthy. While he believes the officials made costly mistakes, he has stopped short of suggesting that the referee alone was responsible for Chiefs losing the derby.

The 2-1 result remains in the history books, but the discussion surrounding the officiating is showing little sign of disappearing.

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