Former FIFA referee Ace Ncobo has commented on the controversial performance of referee Thando Ndzanzeka in Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2-1 defeat to Maritzburg United.
Downs collected only their second defeat of the campaign after goals by Bulelani Alfred Ndengane and a late penalty by Amadou Soukouna cancelled out cancelled out Peter Shalulile’s opener.
However, there was a lot of controversy around the game, with match official Ndzanzeka coming under fire.
Ncobo discussed the incident of Maritzburg’s equaliser when Ndengane was seen holding onto Thapelo Morena’s shoulders when he headed the ball into the net.
“It’s instances like this where the referee instead of positioning himself correctly, he’s not in position to be fully convinced of a foul because he cannot view it correctly from where he is positioned,” Ncobo said on Extra Time.
“From a set piece it shouldn’t be happening. At that level, when the ball comes from a dead ball situation, you should be able to see something like that.
“Not even one hand holding the defender, both hands are pushing. In fact, he rose that high up in the air, not because of his own athletic prowess but because of using the shoulders of the defender – that’s why he was able to reach that high.
“Look at where the referee is, he is almost behind. There was no way he would’ve picked up that incident there. Had the referee been correctly positioned, more towards the side, perhaps even closer to the action, to the drop zone, he would’ve seen that both hands of the striker are holding down on the player.
“That’s holding – holding means preventing an opponent from gaining possession. So when you look at a situation like that and you see where the referee is, he should’ve been a bit closer and more to the side so that he could see what’s happening there.
“From where he’s standing, the player that is rising up, is rising up to head the ball. But how high could he have risen if he relied only on his athletic ability. Surely that ball would’ve flown above his head.
“The only reason why he got such a good, powerful header was because he had a stump of a tree to hold onto.”
