CAF Champions League: Esperance Coach Blasts Referee After Losing Against Mamelodi Sundowns

• Esperance of Tunisia head coach Patrice Beaumelle is not happy with the referee after his team lost to Mamelodi Sundowns
• The Tunisian giants failed to qualify for the CAF Champions League final after losing to the Brazilians in the semi-finals
• The comment made by the French tactician sparked mixed reactions from South African football fans on social media

Espérance Sportive de Tunis head coach Patrice Beaumelle expressed frustration toward Somali official Omar Artan following his team’s loss to Mamelodi Sundowns in the CAF Champions League semi-final second leg.

The North African side were edged 1–0 at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Saturday, a result that sealed a 2–0 aggregate victory for Sundowns, who had also won by the same scoreline in the first leg in Tunisia.

The Brazilians' January transfer signing, Brayan Leon's strike, proved decisive, sending the South African club into the final for a second consecutive season.

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The Premier Soccer League giants lost against Egyptian side, Pyramids FC, in last season's final and would hope to break the jinx this campaign against AS FAR Rabat.

Beaumelle blasts ref after Esperance defeat

Although Beaumelle acknowledged the quality and effort shown by both teams in an intense, well-attended encounter, he strongly felt the officiating negatively impacted the game and raised doubts about the referee’s suitability for such a high-stakes fixture.

Speaking to SABC Sport, he noted that the match featured two well-disciplined sides delivering entertaining football in a vibrant atmosphere, but insisted that controversial refereeing decisions disrupted the flow and fairness of the contest.

He went on to argue that the standard of officiating fell short of what is expected at the semi-final stage of a continental competition, describing it as a major concern for African football development, where he believes refereeing consistency remains an issue.

Beaumelle still praised his players for their performance and sportsmanship, while also congratulating Mamelodi Sundowns and wishing them success in the final.

Fans call out Beaumelle over his remarks

Bafana Fisto Ratema said:

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"I like the question that was asked....why did u fail to score against Sundowns? He was mumbling."

Vincent Shabangu wrote:

"How many saves did the Sundowns keeper make? And the penalty is a genuine finish."

Tamim Thashe shared:

"Furious for what, Esperance goalkeeper kicked the Sundowns striker, not the ball."

Desmond Chauke commented:

"Every losing coach is blaming the referee; he didn't say anything about Kekana's soft red card."

Nkcubeko Mkizwana reacted:

"It's always the case with these North African teams; they don't want to accept defeat."

Tsheko Sandawana Champions added:

"North Africans can't accept failure. Can't rule out expecting them to explore boardroom entries."

Broos sends a message to Sundowns

Briefly News also reported that Hugo Broos sent a message to Mamelodi Sundowns ahead of their second fixture against Panama in Cape Town.

The Belgian mentor also shared his plans ahead of the game, as the team continue to prepare for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

Source: Briefly News