Pirates star deserved a red card, rules top ref

Relebohile Mofokeng should have been shown a red-card during Orlando Pirates' 4-0 victory over Hungry Lions in the last 16 of the Nedbank Cup, according to renowned former referee Victor Hlungwani.

The Buccaneers made easy work of lower division side Hungry Lions with a 4- 0 thrashing at Orlando Stadium on Saturday evening.

Lions’ Morena Monaheng opened the scoring through an own goal before Mabasa (brace) and Monnapule Saleng added three more to the scoreline.

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However, one incident that raised eyebrows during the second half was when Lions goalkeeper Glen Baadjies fell to the grass after seemingly getting into a brief altercation with Pirates’ Mofokeng.

Reviewing the match, Hlungwani explained why the 19-year-old deserved to be sent off for violent conduct.

"We are going to Mofokeng, here we said we are talking of violent conduct," Hlungwani said.

"Violent conduct is when the player uses excessive force or brutality against an opponent or any other person when not playing for the ball.

"Look, he (Mofokeng) is not playing for the ball, he’s playing the person. That’s a red card!

"But the law says ‘unless the force used was negligible [the referee may use discretion]’ but if the referee believes too much force was used the red card must come out.

"It depends on the referee’s interpretation at that moment, there is a grey area there. But that one (Mofokeng’s incident) is a red. That one of Mofokeng is a red card because you can see closely and a fist so that one is violent conduct.

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"He didn’t get anything because the referee did not see…but we are educating the young players that no, don’t get excited and do this, you will get a red card.

Meanwhile, Pirates' have been drawn against AmaZulu in the last eight of the Nedbank Cup.

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