Kaizer Chiefs v Chippa United (Gallo Images)

• SAFA’s Head of Referees Abdul Ebrahim says referee Jerry Chavani made the correct call in disallowing Chippa United’s goal against Kaizer Chiefs.
• Amakhosi won the match 1-0 to maintain their lead atop the PSL standings ahead of the final round of matches.
• Ebrahim admits referees do make mistakes but says Wednesday night’s decision was “100% the correct decision”.

The South African Football Association’s (SAFA) Head of Referees, Abdul Ebrahim, says referee Jerry Chavani made the right call in disallowing a goal from Chippa United’s Boikanyo Komane against Kaizer Chiefs.

The Chilli Boys duelled Amakhosi on Wednesday evening in a game which saw the Soweto giants claim a hard-fought 1-0 victory.

However, the talk of the night was the 79th minute disallowed goal of Komane which angered thousands of fans and went viral across social media.

Chiefs’ star goalkeeper Itumeleng Khune left his goalline to collect the ball from a Chippa corner-kick, however, the veteran shot-stopper was fouled before Komane slotted the ball into the back of the net.

To give the South African public clarity ahead of the final round of Absa Premiership matches on Saturday, Ebrahim confidently stated that referee Chavani was “100% correct” in his decision.

“The Chippa United player, Kevin Moyo, places himself in a position to challenge for the aerial ball,” Ebrahim told SAFA’s official website.

“He does not jump up, but instead, impedes the Kaizer Chiefs defender from contesting for the ball in the air. He uses his body to push the opposition defender onto the path of his own goalkeeper.

“At the same time, the Chiefs goalkeeper, Khune, comes out to challenge for the ball but collides with his own teammate who had in turn been impeded by Moyo.

“The referee, Chavani clearly saw the incident and blew for a foul, as Komane, a team-mate of Moyo, heads the ball into the net. And the referee sounded the whistle before the ball crossed the line.

“The referee was 100% correct to award a free kick against Moyo as his action was not to challenge for the ball but to challenge the player off the ball.

“Yes, match officials make mistakes but in this particular incident, the referee was 100 percent correct,” Ebrahim concluded.

– Compiled by Tashreeq Vardien