Former PSL referee applauds effective use of VAR in Caf Champions League clash between Orlando Pirates and Pyramids - 'Very good intervention by VAR and very good implementation of the laws of the game'

Orlando Pirates took on Pyramids in the first leg of the Caf Champions League semi-finals and were the more dominant side in the early stages.

They appeared to concede twice, but both goals were disallowed by Video Assistant Referee, one in each half.

Fiston Mayele’s strike before half-time was ruled offside after a detailed on-field review.

In the second half, another effort was denied after VAR showed a handball before it went in.

The decisions frustrated the visiting coach, Krunoslav Jurcic, who felt his team was hard done by.

However, former PSL referee and current VAR instructor Jerome Damon defended the decisions.

He stated that the application of the laws was accurate and praised the officials for correctly interpreting the incidents.

Damon emphasised that both reviews followed proper VAR protocols and helped protect the integrity of the game.

“Just before half-time the referee was called for an on-field review, to review a possible offside decision,” he said on social media when discussing the goal by Mayele," said Damon, as reported by iDiski Times.

“From the review, VAR saw that the player was in an offside decision, the [Pyramids] attacker who scored the goal [Mayele]…

“There was an action by the Orlando Pirates defender [Mbokazi] in the process leading up to the goal which needed to be checked, that’s why there was an onside review by the VAR officials, to interpret whether the Orlando Pirates player was in control of his body action…

“The referee then deemed the Orlando Pirates player was not in control of his body reaction, therefore it was then deemed a deflection and because it was a deflection which went to a player in an offside decision, the referee correctly ruled offside gaining an advantage.

“It was a very good decision, very good intervention by VAR and very good implementation of the laws of the game.”

“Another goal check and like we know with VAR, every goal needs to be checked to see if there was no offence in the lead-up to the goal,” he added.

“The VAR checked everything, and they saw that the ball had come off the attacker's arm before the ball had gone directly into goal.

“Therefore, correctly in terms of law, a handball offence had been committed and the refereeing team had correctly ruled that that was unfortunately a no-goal situation.

“Again, good application of law by the refereeing team, and good application of VAR by the CAF VAR.”

VAR proved crucial in this high-stakes encounter, preventing what could have been a disastrous deficit for the Buccaneers heading into the return leg. Had the goals stood, Pirates would have found themselves in a difficult position needing to overturn a deficit in a hostile environment. Damon’s breakdown of the decisions shows how technology safeguarded the game’s fairness. Without VAR, the outcome of the first leg might have unfairly tilted the tie in Pyramids’ favour.

Pirates now travel to Cairo intending to finish the job and make the Caf Champions League final. They must be clinical in front of goal while maintaining the solid defensive structure shown in the first leg. One player to watch is Fiston Mayele, who has been linked with Kaizer Chiefs coach Nasreddine Nabi, who is a known admirer. Whoever hopes to sign Mayele will need to present a substantial offer, as his stock continues to rise with each performance.