Referee Abongile Tom Under Fire Again After CAF Champions League Controversy

• South African referee Abongile Tom made two disputed decisions during Scottland FC's CAF Champions League tie against Petro de Luanda
• Tom drew criticism just weeks after his penalty calls in the MTN8 final between Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates were questioned by experts
• The match at National Sports Stadium in Harare ended 2-0, with Khama Billiat and Knowledge Musona on the scoresheet for the Zimbabwean side

HARARE — South African referee Abongile Tom has found himself at the centre of fresh controversy following two contentious decisions during the CAF Champions League first-leg encounter between Zimbabwean side Scottland FC and Angolan club Petro de Luanda at the National Sports Stadium in Harare on 19 October 2026.

The 34-year-old match official had barely had time to recover from the backlash surrounding his penalty calls in the MTN8 final, where Mamelodi Sundowns defeated Orlando Pirates 2-0 at Moses Mabhida Stadium just over a week earlier. Former referees publicly questioned those decisions after the final whistle.

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Tom's red card call draws scrutiny

The controversy in Harare began barely a minute into the second preliminary round when Tom issued a straight red card to Petro goalkeeper Hugo Marques. Marques had come off his line to bring down an attacker outside the penalty area. Tom ruled it a case of DOGSO — denying a goal-scoring opportunity — deeming him the last defender.

KickOff reports that replays, however, suggested that Marques had cover behind him, with several Petro defenders having recovered their positions before the goalkeeper made contact. The decision left Petro playing with 10 men for the majority of the match.

Second decision shocks commentators

Tom faced another contentious moment when Petro’s replacement goalkeeper handled the ball outside the penalty area, but the South African referee allowed play to continue. The decision drew a strong reaction from commentators and Scottland supporters.

Petro managed to keep Scottland at bay until the second half, when Khama Billiat found the net to put the hosts ahead. Knowledge Musona then added a second goal with 10 minutes left, securing a 2-0 win for the Zimbabwean side.

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The two disputed incidents have placed Tom’s officiating under renewed scrutiny during the CAF Champions League campaign. Whether the controversy will affect his future appointments remains unclear.

Abongile Tom faces more questions over MTN8 final

Briefly News previously reported that former PSL referee Victor Hlungwani questioned the penalty awarded to Mamelodi Sundowns in the MTN8 final against Orlando Pirates on 10 October 2026.

Hlungwani believes the referee should have penalised an earlier infringement before awarding Sundowns the late spot-kick, raising further questions about Tom’s handling of the final. Former footballer and analyst Junior Khanye also challenged both penalty calls, adding to the debate over the South African referee’s decisions.

Source: Briefly News