It’s a just and fair ambition.
Oh 2019, where would Mamelodi Sundowns football club have been today if it were not for a strong and decisive referee’s assistant who flagged down what appears to have been a legitimate goal by Maritzburg United in the final of the year-ending Telkom Knockout (TKO) competition?
We salute the assistant referee for his strong and decisive action in outlawing a low header into the Mamelodi Sundowns net. Were it not for that decisive action by the linesman the teams would have tied 2-all and the match would have been forced to go to extra time and perhaps penalties.
Thankfully, the man with the flag saved us all from witnessing that dreadful drama and decided enough goals have been scored in the game and so matters must end in the favour of Sundowns.
Phew! for a moment I was thinking we are fast losing our mojo and leaving all the complaining about match referees to clubs who draw the short end of the stick each time when they play and lose against especially Kaizer Chiefs. Now for good measure, Sundowns are the full-blooded beneficiaries of the notorious, dubious refereeing in the Premier Soccer League.
I did not catch Pitso Mosimane’s comments post that final TKO match but I guess like all who benefit from such dubious officiating he too must have shrugged his shoulders and decided to let matters slide. Now they too have that winning feeling, ‘howz’ that for a year-end present?
You might be surprised that I too love good, decisive action such as in this case. That assistant referee was right to flag that ball. Firstly the player should not have stooped that low (literally). He should instead have tapped that ball into the net with his boot and in that way, the goal might have been allowed. I am just adding my bit to clarify the confusion arising from that goal.
I mean can you imagine if the tables were turned against Sundowns in that match? The plan to conquer Africa by all means necessary would have been shoved down the drain. I particularly love that ambitious take of the Sandwana clan about storming the citadels of football on the continent.
It’s a just and fair ambition. We here down south have been cooped up so long on this tiny bit of land, by law of course, and could not even sniff the air from across the Limpopo border lest it be assumed you are up to no good with the homies over there.
Sundowns wants to be a global player and for that they want to start conquering the big titles on the continent. Maritzburg have yet to conquer Umgungundlovu let alone KwaZulu-Natal. So they’d be better off staying put at home. Methinks that the assistant referee got the memo outlining this project from the Sundowns president, good for him and AmaSandawana
If you think an investigation of sorts will be launched to look deep into the causal effect of such incidents, forget it friend! None other than Safa president Danny Jordaan has put his immense weight behind that linesman’s ‘error’. Meaning the referee’s decision on the matter is final and we live on to watch another horror decision which is coming up soon.
On that little dramatic note we shall end this year and declare it kaput, it’s a done and dusted deal! When we will next see you via and in this column, it will be next year 2020 already.
We look forward to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics where we have our national Under-23 side taking part,among many others.
Enjoy a deserved break from the madness, Salang!
