CAF Faces Tough Call As Young Africans Challenge Mamelodi Sundowns’ Champions League Triumph

• Yanga have filed a complaint with CAF following their exit from the Champions League
• Allegations surround a disallowed goal and match-fixing against Mamelodi Sundowns
• The Tanzanian champions urge for implementation of measures to preserve the integrity

Tanzanian football powerhouse, Yanga SC, have formally filed a complaint with the Confederation of African Football (CAF) following their elimination from the Champions League on Friday, April 5, at the hands of Mamelodi Sundfons.

The action stems from Masandwana's victory, decided by penalties, granting them access to the semi-finals.

Notably, Bafana Bafana skipper Ronwen Williams emerged as the hero of the evening, saving two crucial penalties.

Yanga's contention revolves around an alleged match-fixing incident during their clash at the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in Pretoria, South Africa.

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The club articulated its dissatisfaction in a formal statement, citing a potential administrative oversight and match-fixing during the quarter-final. They highlighted a contentious moment in the 57th minute when a goal scored by Stephane Aziz Ki was disallowed despite the availability of Video Assistant Referee (VAR) technology.

The East African club argue that the match officials, led by Mr Dahane Beida from Mauritania, neglected to review the disallowed goal incident via VAR, questioning the integrity of the refereeing decisions.

"It is concerning that despite substantial investments in VAR technology, its role in ensuring fairness and accuracy in critical match decisions was not upheld. This incident raises questions about the integrity of refereeing standards and the effectiveness of VAR in upholding fair play principles in football competitions," read part of the statement, as reported by Far Post.

They called upon CAF to conduct thorough investigations into the matter to uncover any evidence of malpractice.

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They stressed that the federation should take appropriate measures, including a detailed review of match footage, hold individuals accountable for misconduct, and implement preventive measures to safeguard future matches' integrity, as Goal reported.

Yanga coach fumes after controversial Loss

Sports Brief reported that Yanga head coach, Manuel Gamondi, expressed disappointment in the match officials that handled the game.

Gamondi turned his post-match press conference into a fiery battlefield, blasting the referee and VAR officials for denying his side what he termed a 'clear goal'.

Uninterested in entertaining questions, Gamondi lambasted Mauritian referee Dahane Beida for failing to see a review from the pitch-side VAR monitor.