Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi must brace himself for a tough stay in South Africa and get a hang of the poor match officiating from the Premier Soccer League (PSL) referees.
Without taking anything away from Mamelodi Sundowns, even with the abrupt changes happening at the club, the Brazilians showed why they are the PSL champions as they dominated Chiefs during their 2-1 victory yesterday.
Whistleman Skhumbuzo Gasa stole the show with his controversial officiating that arguably cost Amakhosi two points that will have a bearing come the end of the Betway Premiership campaign.
Gasa, assisted by Khamusi Razwimisani and Kamohelo Ramutsindela, made calls that had the Chiefs bench up in arms almost the entire first half. The fans were on another level as they threw missiles on to the pitch to express their frustration.
Nabi and his overzealous technical team are going to have to try and get used to the PSL and its officiating.
It was a bit worrisome to witness a game of that magnitude – sold out with 85 000 spectators inside the FNB calabash – being clouded by the officials’ decision.
For instance, there was a moment in the first half where Mduduzi Shabalala was flagged offside after some piece of magic from Wandile Duba, who flicked the ball with flair but all to find a supposedly offside Shabalala.
The next incident was the winning goal by Sundowns striker Iqraam Rayners, who was set up by a presumably offside Lucas Ribeiro Costa.
Even though the second-half officiating was much better than the first, pandemonium erupted inside the FNB Stadium, as a goal by Edson Castillo in the dying stages of the game was ruled out for offside.
In short, a beautiful game of quality football and excitement all around was spoilt by questionable officiating by Gasa and his assistants.
Onto the game, from the jump, Amakhosi had Sundowns’ number with a pressing game that throttled them into a bit of confusion.
In fact, the goal by Ranga Chivaviro inside the opening 10 minutes was straight from the training ground, with Chiefs dispossessing Sundowns in their own half, then playing the ball through to the lanky striker, who ran around Mosa Lebusa, pushed him to the side, found his composure against Ronwen Williams and poked the ball into the back of the net.
Then in a strange twist, as if shocked, the moment Chiefs scored the wheels seemed to have come off – gone was the pressing, as the energy levels slightly dropped out of them and Sundowns dominated play.
The Brazilians responded in the 20th minute through Ribeiro to silence the boisterous Amakhosi crowd. Rayners wrapped the game up for Sundowns in the 37th minute when he scored the winning goal to make it three out of three and maintained their perfect start.
Despite how the game ended, the two sides displayed a quality performance and the best game of the season so far.
Welcome to PSL fever you will be strong coach