A Former FIFA referee has explained why FCSB star Siyabonga Ngezana escaped a red card for a high challenge that caught an opponent on the head.
FCSB’s league struggles continued at the weekend as they suffered a 2-0 home defeat to FC Arges Pitesti — their fourth loss in seven matches this season.
The match was not short of drama, with Ngezana making headlines just 24 minutes in.
The South African defender attempted a bicycle kick inside the opposition box, but his boot struck an opponent’s head after making contact with the ball.
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The referee deemed that Ngezana had touched the ball first and issued only a yellow card. The decision angered Pitesti players, who argued it should have been a sending-off.
Former FIFA referee Marius Avram later explained that the yellow card was consistent with the laws of the game.
Avram told Digi Sport: “This incident will spark debate and controversy — it already has. The instructions referees receive are: if a player tries to execute a bicycle kick or simply attempts to strike the ball and doesn’t see the opponent, hitting both the ball and the opponent’s head, the sanction should be a yellow card.
“Except in cases where it results in a very serious injury. If I had been on VAR, I would not have called the referee to review it. I would have respected the CCA’s recommendations.
“This type of situation is very difficult to explain to the public. VAR would not have intervened even if a red card had been given.
“If he had completely missed the ball, then it would have been a different case — a direct hit to the opponent’s face. But here he played the ball.
“These are the rules, this is what referees have been told.”
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By Lukhanyo Mtuta
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