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DECISIONS OF THE SEASON

01/04/2020 08:45:00 Lwazi Dlamini

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“A good referee is one who hardly gets noticed during a game.”

This is one of the ‘Special One’, Jose Mourinho’s minefield of quotable quotes of his glittering managerial career. In that case, there have been some match officials who have been the focal point in the matches played this season across all three competitions before the invisible enemy to humankind in the form of the coronavirus grounded our football to a halt.
The debate on whether those decisions were justifiable or not, have raged on with the Referees Committee Chairman, Thulani ‘Little Known’ Mavuso, even coming out in the media to pour scorn and ridicule on the criticism, saying it was coming from an uninformed perspective. Mavuso reckons most of the decisions that were criticised were actually spot-on fter his committee reviewed TV footage and pleaded with fans or other commentators to desist from launching attacks on the men in black unfairly. Sports Editor, Lwazi Dlamini looks at some of the four major incidents which left soccer fans and opposition teams hot under the collar.

1. DISALLOWED HIGHLANDERS ‘GOAL’ IN THE DERBY: The video footage of this ‘goal’ in the big Mbabane derby played on December 22, 2019 went viral and Mbabane Highlanders fans were livid. Versatile Mbabane Highlanders player, Sisekelo ‘Rio’ Matsenjwa, who has been a revelation this season for the ‘Black Bull’, swung a corner kick which was headed in by dreadlocked petulant South African striker, Josef Lekata for what the Highlanders fans thought was the winner. Referee Mbongeni Shongwe ruled it out citing an infringement inside the box. So quick were Swallows players in re-starting play, it happened at the speed of light. There were questions marks on where the infringement had been – prior to the ball reaching the box or during the heading duel. It was a controversial call and perhaps the most controversial decision of the season so far.

2. SWALLOWS PENALTY AGAINST SEA BIRDS IN ESWATINIBANK CUP: Manzini Sea Birds looked set to cause one of the biggest upsets of the 2020 EswatiniBank Cup ‘Idlala Kamnandzi’ Last 16 clash at Somhlolo National Stadium on February 22, in referee Thulani Sibandze’s three minutes added time before Swallows were handed a controversial penalty. Sandile Hlatshwako mistook the Somhlolo National Stadium artificial pitch for a swimming pool when he dived from a feather dust touch by a Sea Birds defender in what looked like an innocuous block. Swallows captain Tony ‘TT’ Tsabedze stepped up to convert the spotkick to level matters – 2-2. Swallows went on to win 4-3 in penalties to reach the quarter-finals of the country’s most exciting tournament.

3. PIRATES FANS LIVID IN LEOPARD 2-0 LOSS: Moneni Pirates fans left the Somhlolo National Stadium wondering what they had done wrong to referee Mbongeni Shongwe after two shocking decisions in the 2-0 loss to Royal Leopard. First, goal-bound striker Lizwe Zwane was literally pulled back by goalkeeper Ncamiso ‘Mbhonyo’ Dlamini and the Under-20 starlet had to receive medical attention after the infringement which happened inside the box, nogal. Then secondly, midway through the second half, speedy winger Sifiso ‘Mkhalele’ Mdluli was tripped from behind by a Leopard defender but he was shockingly handed a caution by the referee for what he assumed was simulation when a penalty should have been awarded to the marauding Moneni Buccaneers.

MANZINI DERBY MARRED BY POOR DECISIONS:
The Manzini derby pitting Moneni Pirates and Manzini Wanderers, which ended in a 1-all draw, was marred by controversial calls as tempers flared on and off the pitch. Striker Lizwe Zwane thought he had scored when he picked a loose ball after Wanderers goalkeeper Sandile ‘Onyango’ Dlamini mistimed a cross, colliding with one of his defenders but the referee judged a foul.