Mamelodi Sundowns snuck into the semi-finals of the Caf Champions League against Young Africans (Yanga), courtesy of a controversial disallowed goal in their second leg clash at Loftus Versfeld Friday evening.
The moment arrived in the 59th minute of the quarter-final clash when Yanga had a shot strike the Sundowns crossbar with Sundowns keeper Ronwen Williams beaten, and the ball seemed to clearly cross the goal line when it hit the ground.
Despite slow-motion television replays clearly showing the ball over the line, the Mauritanian referee Dahane Beida did not allow the goal, despite the intervention of the Video Assistant Referee (VAR) reviewing the incident.
Sundowns would go on to win the clash on penalties, after the sides had ended 0-0 on aggregate over the two matches.
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Aziz Ki's thunderous effort off the crossbar is adjudged not to have crossed the line.
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Gamondi lets rip
Yanga coach Miguel Gamondi unsurprisingly was livid with the officiating.
“I don't want to talk anymore because I think everybody saw what happened here. Everybody! If somebody can explain to me why did the referee not go to check for himself? But he went to check if Lomalissa (Mutambala) deserved a red card or yellow (before the decision to disallow the goal). It's suspicious at [the very] least,” said Gamondi.
"If you want to defend the credibility of African football then start with that [explaining to me why was the goal disallowed] … I think today the people in charge of VAR stole the pride of the people of Tanzania.
"More than 30 million Wananchi (Yanga's nickname which translates to ordinary people) felt they were robbed. If somebody can stand up and tell me it wasn't a goal, 'That, no, coach, you are wrong', I will accept it. But I will not take any questions."
Sundowns coach Rulani Mokwena, meanwhile, had to be diplomatic in his response.
“I can’t find words to appease him [Gamondi]; of course, the feeling of being robbed for any other coach [is not nice]. I would rather on my side be extremely complementary to the opposition instead of taking that direction,” Mokwena said when asked about Gamondi’s remarks in the referee.
“There were a lot of other situations, like a foul with an elbow on Devine Lunga inside the box, and that could have been a penalty.
“But I don’t wanna talk about those things. Maybe if I had lost, I would also take that direction, but let me be gracious and respectful in victory. They [Yanga] were a worthy opponent, a good side, one that we enjoyed playing against home and away.”