Kaizer Chiefs and Bafana Bafana legend Doctor Khumalo says he felt CAF Champions League final referee Omar Artan was a bit biased towards Pyramids FC at times.
The Egyptian side lifted their first ever CAFCL trophy, beating Mamelodi Sundowns 2-1 on Sunday night and 3-2 on aggregate.
While Pyramids celebrated, Sundowns were again left wanting and have now lost two of their three Champions League finals.
It was a game of fine margins and also close calls, with Artan supported by the Video Assistant Referee, but Khumalo felt the match official fell a bit too much for the antics of the North Africans.
“To be honest, at some stage I thought there were a little bit biased,” he said on SABC3.
“There were some fouls that were given to Pyramids, yet Sundowns they can’t get those type of fouls.
“And it’s always like that with CAF. You know the North African countries they will always draw a foul and it was not a genuine foul, but they give it to them – with Sundowns they were waving play-on which I thought was not fair at all.”
Meanwhile, former Sundowns Manager and Head of Youth Development Academies and Scouting Departments, Walter Steenbok gave the match officials a perfect rating, saying they guided the high-stakes match with the needed calm and precision.
“Out of 10 I’ll give them 10,” Steenbok stated.
“Because it’s not an easy game. There were lots of big decisions today and he took his time, and this is part of fair play – they have to take their time to check the reaction of the team, the reaction of the bench.
“But under these circumstances he did quite well. Because with $4 million as first prize, you’ve got to be spot on, and you’ve got to work as a team.
“Again, he had to listen, and he had to verify, especially the decision that came for the second goal of Pyramids that was a huge decision.
“So really out of 10, I’d give them 10.”
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