Bafana skipper laments soft penalty decision in Egypt loss

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Bafana Bafana’s controversial defeat to Egypt still rankles with captain Ronwen Williams the latest to question the key decisions in Friday night’s Group B match in Agadir.

Williams described the penalty awarded to Egypt as “soft”.

Speaking post-match, the goalkeeper said: “We feel a bit bad because of the decisions that were made on the field. I think it was a soft penalty, you know. And obviously, when you look at what happened on the other side towards the end, we strongly feel that we should have gotten our own penalty as well. But that’s how football is.”

The South African camp was particularly upset over the awarding of a penalty for an arm to the face of Egyptian superstar Mohamed Salah, and then the non-award of a late penalty to South Africa for a clear handball infringement.

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“We have these long meetings before tournaments where they explain 25 to 50 rules,” Bafana coach Hugo Broos said. “Then it’s a penalty, then it’s not a penalty. Then it’s a red card, then it’s not. At the end, nobody knows anymore what to do.”

The first-half spot-kick from Salah proved decisive, as the seven-time African champions edged a tense encounter that now leaves Bafana needing a result against neighbours Zimbabwe to reach the knockout stages.

Broos added that even Egypt’s match-winner was surprised. “Mo Salah said to me after the game he was surprised that the penalty was given. It was ridiculous,” he said. “And then with our penalty incident, they told us when the arm is extended it’s a penalty. The arm was extended.”

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Williams said South Africa had gone into the match with the objective not to lose and were disappointed with the outcome.

“We wanted to win or get a point to secure qualification,” he said. But it wasn’t to be. But we take the lessons, we take the good things, and we move on. I continue believing in this team.”

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He added that the match became more difficult when Egypt were reduced to ten men just before half-time. “We knew they were going to sit deep because they were a man down and they were just defending their box. Yes, we created a few half chances, a few decent chances, but it wasn’t to be.

“But it’s always difficult playing against a team with a man down because you know they’re going to sit deep, they’re not going to give you space behind and that’s what we look for is the space behind. So a lot of lessons to take and we’ll grow from this.”

Photo: Gallo Images/Zamani Makautsi

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