Victor Hlungwani: Ex FIFA Referee Gives Verdict on Kaizer Chiefs’ Penalty Against Al Masry
- Victor Hlungwani has given his verdict on the penalty awarded to Kaizer Chiefs in their victory over Al Masry in the CAF Confederation Cup
- The Premier Soccer League giants defeated the Egyptian side 2-1 in the second leg of their group stage clash on Sunday afternoon
- The former FIFA referee also shared his thoughts on the Soweto giants' penalty call against Stellenbosch FC in the Nedbank Cup
Kaizer Chiefs cruised to victory in their fifth group game in the CAF Confederation Cup against Al Masry to go top of Group D. The Glamour Boys secured a 2-1 win over the Egyptian giants at the New Peter Makoba Stadium on Sunday, February 8, 2026.
Source: Twitter
The match started with controversy after the referee, Daniel Laryea, awarded a penalty to Kaizer Chiefs after Al Masry captain Ahmed Mansour was adjudged to have handled the ball in the box.
Flavio da Silva calmly converted the resulting penalty to put Amakhosi in front. The goal sparked furious reactions from the visiting players, leading to a stoppage that lasted around five minutes in the first half.
Hlungwani on penalty awarded to Kaizer Chiefs
Former FIFA referee Victor Hlungwani has shared his thoughts on the Ghanaian referee's decision to award Kaizer Chiefs against Al Masry.
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Reflecting on the incident during a recent interview, Hlungwani explained that Al Masry’s complaints centred on what happened in the 32nd minute, when a handball was awarded against them.
He referred to Law 12 of the Laws of the Game, which governs handball offences, noting that an infringement only occurs if a player deliberately moves their hand or arm towards the ball, or if the arm position makes the body unnaturally bigger.
According to Hlungwani, Mansour’s arms were close to his body at the time of contact. He stressed that a player is not expected to remain static during play and that normal movement does not automatically constitute an offence.
He added that a handball should only be penalised when a player clearly extends their arms away from the body. With the arms tucked in, even if the player is in motion, no violation has taken place.
Hlungwani concluded that, based on the laws, the referee’s decision to award a penalty was incorrect.
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Hlungwani on Chiefs' penalty vs Stellenbosch
Hlungwani also shared his verdict on the penalty awarded to Kaizer Chiefs during their 2-1 defeat against Stellenbosch FC in the Nedbank Cup.
The decision came after Mosa Lebusa, who joined the Stellies from Mamelodi Sundowns, was late with his challenge, with the ball striking his arm inside the box, prompting the match official in charge of the game to point to the spot in favour of Amakhosi.
Explaining his view on Soccerzone, the former Premier Soccer League referee said Lebusa’s arm was not in a legally acceptable position at the time of contact.
According to “The Principal” as he's been fondly called, the laws of the game differentiate between a hand used vertically for support while falling and one positioned laterally.
In this instance, he noted that Lebusa’s arm was extended sideways as he went to ground, meaning it was no longer acting as support.
As a result, Hlungwani concluded that a handball offence had clearly occurred and praised the referee for correctly awarding the penalty.
Why Chiefs shouldn't have been awarded penalty
Briefly News also reported that a football expert explained why Kaizer Chiefs shouldn't have been awarded a penalty during their victory over Al Masry in the CAF Confederation Cup.
The penalty was crucial for the Glamour Boys as they built on it to secure all three points against the Egyptian giants.
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Source: Briefly News
