Mokoena Reveals What He Told The Referee After Williams Saved Pirates’ Penalty

Teboho Mokoena has revealed the brief but meaningful words he shared with referee Abongile Tom after Orlando Pirates missed a crucial penalty in the MTN8 final against Mamelodi Sundowns.

The midfielder played a central role in Sundowns’ 2-0 victory at Moses Mabhida Stadium, scoring the opening goal before experiencing a tense moment that could have changed the direction of the contest.

Mokoena found the net early in the first half, giving the Brazilians an important advantage in Saturday’s final. The goal was his second of the tournament and put Sundowns in a strong position as they pursued their first MTN8 title since 2021.

However, the match took a potentially worrying turn for the 29-year-old when he appeared to bring down Orlando Pirates forward Yanela Mbuthuma inside the penalty area.

With Sundowns holding a narrow 1-0 lead, Pirates were presented with an opportunity to equalise and put pressure on their opponents. Ghampani Lungu stepped forward to take the spot kick, but Sundowns captain and goalkeeper Ronwen Williams produced a crucial save to preserve his team’s advantage.

The save proved to be a decisive moment in the final, allowing Sundowns to maintain their lead as the match moved towards its conclusion.

Speaking after the game on SuperSport TV, Mokoena disclosed what he told Tom following Williams’ intervention.

“I just said to Mr Ref, God is great,” Mokoena said.

His comment reflected his relief after a penalty incident that could have significantly altered the outcome of the match. Had Pirates converted, the final could have developed into a much tighter contest, with both sides having a renewed chance of lifting the trophy.

Instead, Sundowns held on before securing the result in injury time. The Pretoria-based club won a penalty of their own, and Iqraam Rayners converted to make it 2-0 and confirm their triumph.

The victory ended Sundowns’ wait for another MTN8 crown, with the club last winning the competition in 2021. It also added to their growing collection of silverware this season.

Sundowns had already claimed the FIFA Africa-Asia-Pacific Cup the previous month, making the MTN8 success their second trophy of the campaign.

For Mokoena, the final brought both a goal and a moment of anxiety, but Williams’ penalty save helped ensure that Sundowns finished the night celebrating another title.

Source: https://x.com/idiskitimes/status/2109255093916709326?s=46

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