Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams makes a save during a match earlier this season. Mamelodi Sundowns goalkeeper Ronwen Williams’ foul on Golden Arrows’ Knox Mutizwa was the biggest talking point after their DStv Premiership match. Picture: Khaled Desouki / AFP
Fans are divided in the opinions whether or not Mamelodi Sundowns captain Ronwen Williams should have been sent off during their DStv Premiership match against Golden Arrows on Wednesday night.
Just before the halftime break, Arrows’ Knox Mutizwa was brought down near the touchline by goalkeeper Williams, who rushed out of his box to commit a blatant foul to stop an attack.
Williams looked guilty after the foul, with Mutizwa and the Arrows players running towards the referee to produce a red card for what they deemed an action denying them a clear goal-scoring opportunity.
However, Williams looked a relieved man after the referee just flashed him a yellow card.
There were some mitigating factors for the referee to take into account, with the foul happening quite a long away from the Sundowns goal and with a Sundowns defender in close proximity. There was also another Sundowns defender in background running towards the penalty area.
This will be a hot topic come Mondaypic.twitter.com/9bwarAk7D2
— Thomas Mlambo (@thomasmlambo) May 8, 2024
However, that did not stop the debate on social media, with opinions split on X after the match ended in a draw, preserving the champions’ unbeaten record.
X user @AMG_Owner said: “He wasn't the last defender, and he didn't deny a clear goal scoring chance. The referee got it "Spot On" Good Decision.”
However, @Oz_Lindokuhle disagreed with the decision: “It's a RED, Mudau is slightly behind the action, which puts him at a disadvantage to prevent the scoring chance by the attacker, so you can't say he provided cover. The aggression of the foul itself deserves a red. In the history of the PSL, no team has ever benefited so much.”
What is your take on the incident? Send us a comment on the social media post linking to the article.
@JohnGoliath82
IOL Sport