Stellenbosch head coach Steve Barker has cleared Orlando Pirates of any wrongdoing after falling victim to poor officiating in the 2024 MTN8 Final.
Stellies felt hard done by at full-time after two injury-time strikes sent them spiralling to the floor as the Buccaneers defended their Wafa Wafa crown at the second time of asking.
The referee on the day Abongile Tom took centre stage when he allowed Pirates to take a quick free-kick metres from where the foul was committed and striker Tshegofatso Mabasa made no mistake and he gave Pirates the 2-1 lead in the 92nd minute.
That incident would decide the game as Barker felt his side conceding a third was a consequence of being on the wrong side of a crucial decision at a consequential time
Although drowning in disappointment, the experienced mentor refuted any widespread suggestions that this particular Pirates triumph would be tainted.
“Time heals but I also want to say congratulations to Pirates – they benefitted, but it’s not them that made it happen, it’s the referee that made it happen, so you can't take away that luck that they got,” he said at the post-match conference at the Moses Mabhida Stadium.
Trust, we will be back soon 👊 pic.twitter.com/eFpPmYGclZ
— Stellenbosch FC (@StellenboschFC) October 6, 2024
This latest incident comes a week after controversial refereeing had been placed in the spotlight following a match between Kaizer Chiefs and Mamelodi Sundowns.
The Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture Gayton McKenzie also sought the need to fast-track the ongoing process of implementing Video Assistant Refereeing (VAR).
Barker, much like many of his colleagues in the past, suggested that the introduction of VAR might have done well in thwarting what is seemingly becoming a negative connotation to South African football.
“I’m not sure, I think there had been at some stage a point that they were looking to target the final – this one – to implement VAR, but unfortunately they did not,”said Barker.
“But it just seems like there’s far too many big calls that are not going the right way, and I think the intervention of VAR will help.
Barker rejected any assumptions that the blunder made by Tom was a consequence of being influenced by external forces and simply regarded it as an error.
“Refs are human, I don’t think the refs go and purposefully make the mistake, it’s just that a lot’s happening, it’s the 90th minute of a cup final, they take a quick free-kick, he suddenly looks, it’s a goal.
He further added: “He’s got that decision to make – do I let it stand, do I not let it stand? He’s elected to let the goal stand, so (sigh) – VAR intervention, I believe, would have said, ‘Listen, re-take, re-start, it wasn’t taken at the right place, you were still speaking to the players.’
“He hadn’t even seen what happened, hopefully, sanity would have prevailed and we would have had, maybe, an interesting extra time (period).”