Amazulu Coach Benni McCarthy Blames Referee for Loss Against Orlando Pirates in Nedbank Cup Last 32 Tie

• Benni McCarthy believes that the referee was to blame for Amazulu's loss to Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup
• Referee Masixole Bambiso did not award what appeared to be a stonewall penalty after an Orlando Pirates clearly handled the ball
• McCarthy risked censure and possible disciplinary measures for his comments, having been on the receiving end before

Amazulu coach Benni McCarthy was not a happy man after his charges were beaten 1-0 by Orlando Pirates in the Nedbank Cup Last 32 tie at Orlando Stadium.

A strike by Deon Hotto was the difference as the Buccaneers edged Usuthu 1-0 in an engrossing match fraught with controversy. The hosts were fortunate not to have a penalty decision go against them midway through the first stanza after Goodman Mosele handled the ball in a sliding challenge in the box.

According to Soccer Laduma, McCarthy congratulated the Buccaneers for holding their nerve to emerge victorious, but was not impressed with referee Masixole Bambiso's call to deny Usuthu a penalty.

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Risking censure by the Premier Soccer League's disciplinary, McCarthy was quoted by KickOff saying:

"If there was justice in this life we would be standing here saying a different story. If you are a football lover and you see what's happening in the game when it comes to decisions that cost your team, to get knocked out of the competition.

"But for us a lot of positives to take away and we can only get better and I'm super proud of my players and they couldn't have done more. They were beaten by the man in the middle today, not by our opponents and I'm going to stick to that because that's my feeling and everyone else that loves football and knows football. We weren't beaten by our opponents today."

Controversial penalty call causes storm of debate as Orlando Pirates defeats Amazulu in Last 32

While Amazulu coach was convinced that his team was hard done by the referee in the Last 32 Nedbank Cup tie, football fundis were split about the alleged penalty Usuthu was denied.

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As reported by Sports Brief, the hosts were fortunate not to have a penalty decision go against them midway through the first stanza after Goodman Mosele handled the ball in a sliding challenge in the box.

One reader forcefully said:

"It's not a penalty, please educate your commentators, it's embarrassing. I remember Victor Gomes once refused to give such as a penalty. When a player is falling he balances using his hands, if the ball hit the hands it's not a penalty."