Stellenbosch FC coach Steve Barker has slammed the referee Abongile Tom’s decision which led to his side’s defeat to Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final in Durban on Saturday.
With the match seemingly headed to extra time with the score locked at 1-1 after 90 minutes, the Stellenbosch players switched off completely as they thought play had been stopped after a foul.
The referee blew his whistle to stop play but waved play-on to allow a quick free-kick by Relebohile Mofokeng as Pirates capitalised with Stellenbosch players stopping completely. However, the setpiece was taken a considerable distance away from where the foul was committed and closer to the opposition goal, which means it should not have stood according to the laws of the game.
Therefore, Stellies can count themselves incredibly unlucky that they were on the receiving end of an incorrect decision which decided the title.
Barker cut a deflated figure in his post match press conference after the match.
Changes the game
“Good evening everybody, unfortunately you’re not going to get too much out of me this evening. I thought it was a really good game of football, very competitive,” said Barker.
“Up until a decision that is absolutely indescribable, that a free kick can be taken four or five metres closer towards goal when it's in and around your box, and then changes the complexity of the game.”
Barker had justifiably been preparing for extra time when disaster struck for his team.
“I was looking forward to extra time, I thought we were starting to look and be the better team that used all their sort of options, we believe had it gone to extra time we would have lifted the trophy. So unfortunately on Monday night when it should be about the match, how it was played and the good tactics of each team, and the competitors, it's going to be about a referee decision.
“Which is that he made three errors in one decision, so yeah, I'm very disappointed.”
It certainly wasn’t a case of sour grapes, which Barker said some people might label his reaction.
“Obviously proud of the effort that we put in, but when you work as hard, day in and day out, get yourself into a final, get yourself competitive and it gets basically taken away from you like that, it is a difficult pill to swallow.
“People may feel and say sour grapes or whatever, you may want to say, it's just genuinely about that decision in the 90th minute. The referee had the opportunity to restart the game, restart where the free kick was, he chose not to, and then it basically changes the course of the game."