Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Rulani Mokwena says he is of the opinion that the recent debated refereeing calls has been correct.
Sundowns advanced with a 3-2 penalty shootout win over Young Africans after the Tanzanians had a goal ruled, in what appeared to have crossed the line. There have been several debates, with VAR experts and former FIFA refereeing backing the decision not to award the goal.
Against Cape Town Spurs there were suggestions the only goal of the game, which came from the spot with Lucas Ribeiro Costa, was a foul outside the area on Tuesday evening.
“There’s a lot that’s said about Sundowns and I fortunately have done it in the past, I’ve gone on a social media sabbatical, so I don’t know what is being said about who and how,” Mokwena said at the Nedbank head quarters ahead of their clash against AmaTuks.
“I just watch the games, I can tell you that my opinions that the decision were right and those are just my opinions, I’m not an official ref, but of course, these are the things that happen in football.
“We lost an MTN8 final because of some decisions I thought were not fair on us, but that’s football you know, these things even themselves out. At the end of the day, you win some you lose some and that’s the nature of sport, football.
“You can’t always be on the receiving end of the situations. I also believe, and you guys asked me and you laughed at the beginning of the season, one of your colleagues asked what you need to win the Champions League and I said a lot of luck.
“And when I see the incident against Yanga, I say we have a lot of luck as opposed to last year’s semi-final where we lost and we conceded the second goal, lost, I thought we were extremely unlucky.”
Mokwena suggested it’s simply the nature of the sport where you win some and lose some, in a philisooicpal sense, where they will be on the receiving end in future, like they’ve been in the past.
He referenced the Wydad Athletic Club semi-final exit in the Champions League last season where they were unbeaten and dumped out of the competition.
“But things even themselves out, God loves us all and sometimes when you feel he neglects you, he’s got a way of showing his hand and saying I’m still God and I still have favour upon my people – it’s true, it’s how I feel at the moment.
“I feel there’s God’s grace upon us and a long way it continues because sometimes, there’s been moments like last season in the Champions League, there was a push on Mothobi for the equaliser to make it 2-2 and we didn’t get the rub of the green.
“This season we’ve had some very good moments, some fortunate moments and all of that, I don’t want to give it any type of sniff speaking about the referees…
“All the grace and glory needs to go to God, it’s moments he shows up, when you need him the most, he’s able to say I’ve got you. Even sometimes I may drop you but I’ve got you.”
