Miguel Cardoso and Manqoba Mngqithi echoed the same sentiment regarding the implementation of the Video Assistant Referee [VAR] following Mamelodi Sundowns’ 2-1 victory over Golden Arrows in the Betway Premiership.
The Brazilians continued their impressive run of form after collecting maximum points against Arrows at Loftus Versfeld Stadium on Tuesday, with goals from Teboho Mokoena and Iqraam Rayners, while Junior Dion scored for the visiting side.
Sundowns extended their unbeaten run in the league after claiming six successive wins in the second round of the 2025/2026 season. The Tshwane giants have won all their league matches in 2026, signalling a strong intent to defend the Premiership title and win it for the ninth consecutive time.
Despite securing a win against Abafana Bes’thende, Downs remained in the second spot on the log standings with 44 points in 19 games. They are behind Orlando Pirates, who also collected three points against Polokwane City FC on Tuesday at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium to maintain their lead at the top with 44 points with a superior goal difference.
In a match between Arrows and Sundowns, referee Siyabulela Qunta was called into action with a handful of questionable decisions that left Masandawana coach Miguel Cardoso and Arrows mentor Manqoba Mngqithi agreeing that the VAR should be treated with the sense of urgency it deserves.
In a match between Arrows and Sundowns, the referee took the spotlight after Rayners scored a goal that was ruled offside, although television replays showed that he was onside. Another controversy arose when Khuliso Mudau was judged to have fouled Junior Dion in the box, resulting in a penalty that helped Arrows score a consolation goal.
WHAT CARDOSO SAID ABOUT VAR
These mounting concerns over officiating come in the wake of an announcement by the Minister of Sport, Arts and Culture, Gayton McKenzie, who confirmed that funding has been secured for SAFA to roll out the VAR system next season.
“I’m not talking about the referees themselves; I’m addressing the situations. There are simply too many of them, and we have been feeling that systematically,” Cardoso said.
“Obviously, referees have emotions; they make mistakes, and those mistakes impact the game. This is an issue that should be addressed collectively by all stakeholders—from coaches and players to the officials themselves. I’m not judging intentions; I’m judging the situations, and in the end, they have consistently gone against us.
“I believe the referee of our match would have been very happy to have VAR. It would have assisted him with the decision on the first goal, and he would have seen that there was an offside in the build-up to the penalty he awarded.
“I would like to remind everyone that last year, from that same side of the pitch, a one-meter offside was not given against Kaizer Chiefs. That call could have allowed us to fight until the end and reach the Nedbank Cup final. VAR in South Africa should become a reality as quickly as possible; it will also help regulate the standard of the pitches we play on.”
MNGQITHI SAYS NEXT SEASON IS TOO FAR FOR VAR IMPLEMENTATION
Mngqithi also voiced his concerns regarding officiating, arguing that the modern game has become too fast for referees to track every incident in real-time.
“Next season is too far [to introduce VAR]. I keep saying this game is becoming too dynamic for the officials. Today [Tuesday], I even saw a ‘sniff’ of VAR—I thought if there was an offside, the linesman would raise his flag. I didn’t see the flag, but I saw the consultations [between match officials], and then there was no offside,” Mngqithi said.
“I’m not saying it was offside or not, but I expect the right things to happen in a football match. Every week, we are talking about this topic. We are running one of the biggest leagues in Africa, and we must understand that the massive investment clubs put into training should be reflected in the reliability of the results.
“I’ve moved away from blaming the referees because I’ve realised they are human beings. Most of the time, the complaints we have as coaches and administrators are based on a second opinion from the stands or elsewhere. I look at an iPad and see it was offside, then I’m able to make noise—but the reality is, when it happens fast on the pitch, sometimes we don’t see it either.”
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