Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has questioned the officiating following his team’s painful 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates in Saturday’s Soweto Derby, suggesting that controversial refereeing decisions played a significant role in the outcome.
The French tactician was particularly unhappy with referee Luxolo Badi, arguing that some of the key decisions went against Amakhosi during the high-stakes encounter.
Speaking after the match, Da Cruz believed Chiefs had done enough in the opening half to put the game beyond Pirates but were let down by their inability to convert scoring opportunities.
According to the Chiefs coach, his side should have gone into the break with a comfortable advantage.
He also made a pointed remark about the officiating, suggesting that Pirates enjoyed an unfair advantage.
“The analysis of the match is very easy. The match should have finished in the first half for two reasons: We lacked efficiency – we should have led 2-0 or 3-0 in the first half – and secondly, Pirates played with 12, not 11,” Da Cruz said.
Da Cruz unhappy with Pirates’ opening goal
One of the biggest talking points for the Chiefs coach was Orlando Pirates’ opening goal, which he believed should have been ruled out for offside.
Da Cruz also questioned why a Pirates player was not shown a second yellow card, arguing that the decision should have left the Buccaneers with ten men.
In his assessment, the match should have been played with Chiefs enjoying a numerical advantage rather than both teams having 11 players on the pitch.
“The first goal was offside, and then a Pirates player should have received a second yellow card and subsequently a red card. Normally, we should have played 11 against 10, not 11 versus 11,” he added.
Pirates punish Chiefs despite first-half opportunities
Despite Chiefs’ complaints, Orlando Pirates ultimately secured all three points in a fiercely contested Soweto Derby.
Mbuthuma opened the scoring for the Buccaneers before Pule Mmodi capitalised on a mistake by goalkeeper Sipho Chaine to bring Amakhosi level.
However, Tshepang Moremi struck in the second half to restore Pirates’ advantage and seal a valuable 2-1 victory for Abdeslam Ouaddou’s team.
The result handed Da Cruz his first defeat against Orlando Pirates and gave the Buccaneers another important victory in one of South African football’s biggest rivalries.
Did Pirates benefit from the refereeing decisions?
Da Cruz has made his frustration clear, but his comments also raise questions about the match officials and the key incidents that shaped the derby.
While the Chiefs coach believes his team was disadvantaged, Pirates will point to their ability to recover from the equaliser and find a decisive winner.
Ultimately, the debate will continue over whether the controversial decisions influenced the result or whether Chiefs simply failed to make the most of their first-half opportunities.
