Kaizer Chiefs Coach Fernando da Cruz Fumes Over Refereeing in Soweto Derby Against Orlando Pirates

• Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz voiced strong criticism of referee Luxolo Badi after his side's 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates on Saturday
• The French tactician argued that an offside goal and a missed red card decision cost the Glamour Boys a fair contest in the Soweto Derby
• The former Lille OSC head coach also admitted his team squandered chances to lead by two or three goals in the first half

Kaizer Chiefs head coach Fernando Da Cruz has sharply criticised referee Luxolo Badi after his team's 2-1 defeat to Orlando Pirates in the Soweto Derby on Saturday.

The 57-year-old Frenchman insisted the officiating tilted the contest in the Buccaneers' favour, summarising his frustration bluntly: "The analysis of the match is very easy – the match should have finished in the first half for two reasons: We lacked efficiency – we should have led 2-0 or 3-0 in the first half – and secondly, Pirates played with 12, not 11."

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Da Cruz Disputes Both Goals and Red Card Call

Da Cruz raised two specific officiating grievances. He maintained that Pirates' opening goal, scored by Mbuthuma, was offside and should not have stood.

He also argued that a Pirates player had accumulated two bookable offences without being dismissed, which should have reduced the Buccaneers to ten men.

"The first goal was offside, and then a Pirates player should have received a second yellow card and subsequently a red card. Normally, we should have played 11 against 10, not 11 versus 11," the coach said after the match.

How the Match Unfolded

Chiefs entered the second half level after Pule Mmodi capitalised on an error by Pirates goalkeeper Sipho Chaine to cancel out Mbuthuma's opener. However, Tshepang Moremi restored Pirates' advantage in the second period, securing three points for coach Abdeslam Ouaddou.

The result marked Da Cruz's first Derby defeat since taking charge of Amakhosi, and his side's failure to convert dominant first-half chances proved costly.

Source: Briefly News