Sundowns’ Cardoso renews VAR call ahead of Chiefs showdown
'I hope Teboho can come back on the football pitch very quickly,' Cardoso said.
Mamelodi Sundowns coach Miguel Cardoso is once again urging for the introduction of VAR in the Betway Premiership, emphasizing its potential to safeguard players from dangerous tackles. The upcoming match sees Sundowns face Kaizer Chiefs at FNB Stadium on Saturday. Following a 3-2 win over TS Galaxy, Sundowns may be without Teboho Mokoena, who missed the game due to a suspected injury from a rough challenge in their MTN8 quarter-final against Polokwane City last Saturday.
Cardoso hopes Mokoena recovers quickly and South Africa doesn't lose more players. The Portuguese coach's plea arises as there is increasing dissatisfaction with officiating standards in the PSL, with Orlando Pirates also losing Sihle Nduli due to a harsh tackle against AmaZulu. Cardoso believes VAR would provide referees with better assistance when dealing with potentially dangerous challenges that currently go unpunished.
He recounted how he suggested a red card to the fourth referee after witnessing the challenge on Mokoena, who he believes was subject to an extremely aggressive tackle. Cardoso further highlighted the necessity of player protection, particularly in light of Mokoena's latest injury setback. He emphasized that South Africa must learn to safeguard its players, as allowing aggressive behavior on them can have severe consequences, especially when they return from tournaments like the World Cup.
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