Gift Motupa claimed after Orlando Pirates beat Black Aces 3-1 in Mbombela: “Tendai passed the ball … I got a small touch, that’s all I can say [laughing]!”
Motupa was referring to Tendai Ndoro’s angled pass towards his diagonal run that he missed, which subsequently wrong-footed Shu-Aib Walters in the Aces goal as the ball trickled over the line.
TV replays showed no conclusive touch from Motupa, nor did professional video coding from ProZone, snl24.com/kickoff’s performance data partner, meaning this time the match officials got the decision right. It was Ndoro’s goal.
But just 12 days ago top scorer Collins Mbesuma was denied his 12th goal of the season (he has since got his 12th) when he got a touch to Thanduyise Khuboni’s shot against Ajax Cape Town in a 2-2 draw. Mbesuma’s touch was clearly enough to send the ball past Anssi Jaakkola, but referee Thando Ndzandzeka gave the goal to Khuboni in his official match report.
These official Absa Premiership match reports are to be treated like gold to media covering the PSL, because what is written in them is to be taken as gospel despite any clear evidence to the contrary. If a goal is questioned, the PSL simply replies that “the referee’s decision is final”.
Several times already this season goals have been credited to the incorrect players – and I say incorrect because in every instance the PSL went with what the match official wrote in his report after just one live viewing on the pitch, even if he was wrong.
Media covering PSL soccer have long lamented the lack of a ‘dubious goals panel’ like they have in the Barclays Premier League – where goal decisions are reviewed and corrected if necessary to help match officials make the correct calls and to ensure statistical accuracy.
For whatever reason, the PSL does not have a panel to review controversial goals no matter how many times it happens that goals are either (a) awarded to the incorrect players or (b) deemed own-goals when it makes no sense.
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Below are some dubious goals already awarded during the 2015/16 season:
As described above, goal awarded to Khuboni despite Mbesuma’s deflection (incorrect decision).
Goal awarded as an own-goal for Edwin Gyimah when replays and video coding show Losper attacking the near post got the last touch (incorrect decision).
Mahlambi’s second goal awarded as an own-goal for S’boniso Gumede when his failed clearance was right on the goal-line after Mahlambi did all the hard work to round the goalkeeper and shoot (incorrect decision).
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It is fair to say that the majority of football fans would prefer to see common sense prevail and see goals awarded to the attackers who intend to score rather than the defenders who are trying to keep them out.
Watch the goal below awarded to Diego Costa in the 2015 Capital One Cup – even though the shot was not on target, this goal was awarded to Costa. Is this not how it should be?
A local goals panel consisting of a match official, a journalist and a video analyst could easily rule on PSL goals during or after matches to ensure the goals are tallied correctly, thus helping to improve the product.