Golden Arrows head coach Manqoba Mngqithi has called for the PSL to intensify the implementation of Video Assistant Referee [VAR] after suffering a 1-0 defeat against Kaizer Chiefs, arguing that the goal from Amakhosi was offside.
The KZN-based side visited Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Tuesday, looking to have a strong start to the second round of the 2025/26 Betway Premiership season.
Arrows dropped points after Chiefs found the back of the net in the first-half with a goal from talented defender Aden McCarthy, who scored a header from a set piece.
McCarthy’s goal gave the Glamour Boys maximum points, which saw them close the gap on log leaders Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates, who are sitting second on the league table.
Chiefs are currently positioned third on the log standings with 27 points after claiming seven wins, six draws, and one defeat in 14 matches. Meanwhile, Arrows find themselves in 10th position with 16 points in 15 games.
WHAT MNGQITHI SAID ABOUT ARROWS’ DEFEAT AGAINST CHIEFS
After the tightly-contested battle with Chiefs, Mngqithi said that the Soweto giants’ goal was offside, although he can’t blame referees because the action of matches is too fast. The experienced coach reiterated that the PSL should intensify the implementation of VAR, stressing that teams are playing for a big prize to be losing because of officiating errors.
“It’s not the results that we were looking for, and worse when we lose from an offside goal, but I don’t want to blame the officials on this. I think it’s high time that the league looks at this thing differently,” Mngqithi told journalists.
“The reality is that the game has become too dynamic; it’s very difficult for officials to follow every movement, even ourselves as coaches. Some of these things we see very late because we’re looking at the video footage.
“So we can’t expect referees to be in touch with everything that happens in the game. On the first ball that came, Aden was not offside, but when the ball touched [Flavio] Silva, Aden was already offside because he scored after that action.
“The reality is VAR is more than important, we are not playing for 200 rands here, we are playing for 20 million rands, so it’s very important that we up our game as the biggest league in Africa.”
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