A refereeing expert has clarified the contention around the penalty awarded to Mamelodi Sundowns in their narrow win over Cape Town Spurs, using the Laws of the Game as a reference point.
The Brazilians secured a 1-0 win over Spurs on Tuesday, after Lucas Ribeiro Costa scored a goal just before the interval via a controversially awarded penalty.
In a tussle between Peter Shalulile and Asanele Velebayi in the first half, outside the box, the two players can be seen holding each other's shirts, before Velebayi made a sliding tackle on Shalulile on the edge of the box and, carried by the momentum, the Sundowns attacker fell inside the box.
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After the match, there were accusations and suggestions that Shalulile had fouled Velebayi first and therefore a free-kick should have been awarded to Spurs before the penalty incident.
And although it was clear from TV replays that contact on Shalulile from Velebayi's tackle was outside the box, there was no clarity on whether a penalty can be given if the player is carried by momentum into the box.
Former referee Victor Hlungwani has clarified both incidents.
"The law says when two or more offences happen at the same time, the referee must punish the more serious offence. So, in this case, we had a holding that was done by Shalulile and the defender (Velebayi) there," Hlungwani said on Metro FM Sports.
"We also had a tripping that happened outside that continued up until inside (the box). But both players were holding each other. So, who do you punish there? You cannot punish one and leave the other one. You let it go, but the most serious one was tripping.
"Basically, the pulling of the shirt and the tripping happened at the same time. So, between the holding offence and the tripping, which one is more serious? Tripping is more serious. So, you take the tripping, which will result in a direct free-kick outside the penalty area. No penalty.
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"Tripping did not happen inside. The player might have fallen inside, but the contact happened outside that led to him falling inside. So, we can safely say a direct free-kick should have been awarded outside," he added.
Hlungwane also confirmed that referee Thabo Mkhabela made the right call not to award the Urban Warriors a penalty for a challenge by Mothobi Mvala on Ashley Cupido in the box.
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