They Had 12 Players: Angry Da Cruz Exposes Shoc-king Soweto Derby Officiating Scandal

Da Cruz Accuses Referee of Helping Pirates After Chiefs Suffer Derby Defeat

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has sparked debate after accusing referee Luxolo Badi of favouring Orlando Pirates during Saturday’s Soweto Derby, claiming the Buccaneers effectively played with an extra man in their 2-1 victory at FNB Stadium.

The highly anticipated Betway Premiership encounter delivered plenty of drama as Pirates secured bragging rights against their traditional rivals in front of a sold-out crowd. Yanela Mbuthuma and Tshepang Moremi scored for the Buccaneers, while Pule Mmodi found the net for Amakhosi.

However, the result was overshadowed by Da Cruz’s frustration with several refereeing decisions that he believes went against his team.

Traditionally, the term ’12th man’ refers to supporters whose passionate backing inspires their team on the pitch. Da Cruz, however, used the expression differently, suggesting that the match officials played a significant role in Pirates’ victory.

“Pirates play as 12 and not 11,” the French coach said after the match.

Da Cruz specifically questioned the decision to allow Pirates’ opening goal to stand, arguing that the scorer was in an offside position. He also believed a Buccaneers player should have received a second yellow card, which would have resulted in a red card and left Pirates with 10 men.

“The first goal is offside, and then a player of Pirates deserves a second yellow, meaning red card. And then we play 11 vs 10 and not 11 vs 11,” he explained.

Although the Chiefs coach made his displeasure clear, he also acknowledged that his players had opportunities to influence the outcome before the match slipped away from them.

Da Cruz felt Amakhosi needed to make better use of their opportunities in the first half instead of allowing Pirates to remain within reach. He admitted that his side became less threatening after the break and struggled physically during the closing stages.

“In the second half we were less dangerous in our game. To finish the last 20 minutes we were tired,” he added.

The coach further suggested that fatigue and inexperience contributed to Chiefs conceding opportunities in transition, allowing Pirates to threaten them as the match progressed.

The defeat represents a significant setback for Amakhosi, who entered the derby looking to maintain their unbeaten league record. Instead, they suffered their first Betway Premiership loss of the campaign.

Chiefs remain fifth on the standings with 14 points from nine matches, leaving them 11 points behind their Soweto rivals.

For Da Cruz, the immediate challenge will be helping his players recover from the disappointment while addressing the mistakes that contributed to the defeat.

His comments about the officiating are likely to generate further discussion among supporters, but Chiefs must now focus on their performances if they hope to close the gap and remain competitive in the title race.

Source https://x.com/MDNnewss/status/2116837846682042565?a=ijHWi0pe6RsrIEEP49U&s=19

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