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Pressing Issues: Oh, dear sun, you missed out on so much drama

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S'Busiso Mseleku.
S'Busiso Mseleku.

Johannesburg - The sun would have observed a number of interesting developments had it come out instead of playing peekaboo with planet earth as torrential rains and extremely cold weather conditions blanketed the country last weekend.

A peep would have exposed it to the unfamiliar sight of Kaizer Chiefs lying in fifth position on the Absa Premiership log.

While still agog at that, it would have been gobsmacked to see one of the oldest and most popular clubs in South Africa, Orlando Pirates, sitting just a notch outside the top 10 clubs on the table.

The sun’s amazement would not have ended there, as at the summit it would have seen Bidvest Wits, who had just won their first league title in 96 years.

Most bizarre events

Not that the club, formed in 1921, are slouches – they collected the South African FA Cup and the League Cup twice in the days of the National Football League (which was for white teams only), the Mainstay Cup, where they beat Chiefs in the newly revamped National Professional Soccer League (which then had white, black, coloured and Indian clubs), and, recently, the MTN 8 Cup.

What would have had the sun astonished, is that they were sitting at the top, right at the end of the season, something that has not happened in 96 years, as mentioned above.

But, dear sun, I have news for you.

While you were hiding wherever you were, letting the rain and cold do as it liked to us poor souls, you would have witnessed one of the most bizarre events.

Top referee Victor Gomes made an astounding decision, denying bottom-of-the-log Baroka FC a valuable and much-needed point when he gave a free kick against them after they had scored from a penalty kick.

The infringement was encroaching and the least the referee could have done was award a retake.

Ah, Mr Sun, how much you missed!

Warm his heart

Where were you when one of Africa’s most gifted sons, Riyad Mahrez, slipped as he took a penalty that would have given his Leicester City the share of the spoils against Manchester City? Well, to fill you in, City – Leicester that is – were trailing Pep Guardiola’s star-studded City 2-1 when the second-half spot-kick was awarded.

Mahrez stepped up ... but, wait for it, on his run-up to the ball, he slipped and kicked the ball onto his standing foot, a ricochet that looped the ball into the net.

Referee Bobby Madley correctly gave a free kick to Man City.

At which Guardiola, seeing the funny side, chuckled: “The shot was strange, but the rule is clear. Two touches, the same as golf”.

I think the Foxes’ boss Craig Shakespeare was correct when he said it was “a freak occurrence”.

Oh, dear sun, you should have been there to at least warm him, much as you would not have been able to warm his heart.

Esteemed position

Sun, where were you when the letter P became what the cross is to a vampire?

You don’t know what I am talking about?

While you were sitting cosily behind the clouds, Chiefs managed to lose to Polokwane City and Platinum Stars within days.

As we speak, league newcomers Cape Town City will finish above Amakhosi on the log come May 27.

However, one benefit you, sun, will have after reading this, is the understanding of why we love the Beautiful Game so much.

And there is no way I am going to relinquish my esteemed position as the self-appointed life president of the NDMSAFM.

Never heard of it? Oh, it’s the No Dull Moment in South African Football Movement.

I sign off!

Follow me on Twitter @Sbu_Mseleku

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Fixtures
Sat 30 Mar 24 15:30 PM (SAST)
Cape Town City FC
Cape Town City FC
Kaizer Chiefs
Kaizer Chiefs
Athlone Stadium
Sat 30 Mar 24 15:30 PM (SAST)
Stellenbosch FC
Stellenbosch FC
Royal AM
Royal AM
Danie Craven Stadium
SuperSport
Sat 30 Mar 24 15:30 PM (SAST)
Golden Arrows
Golden Arrows
Richards Bay
Richards Bay
Mpumalanga Stadium
SuperSport
Results
Tue 12 Mar 24
Mamelodi Sundowns
Mamelodi Sundowns 1
SuperSport United
SuperSport United 1
Sun 10 Mar 24
Royal AM
Royal AM 2
Cape Town City FC
Cape Town City FC 0
Sun 10 Mar 24
Polokwane City
Polokwane City 0
Golden Arrows
Golden Arrows 1
Logs
Team
P
W
PTS
Team Logo
1. Mamelodi Sundowns
18
14
46
Team Logo
2. Orlando Pirates
20
9
33
Team Logo
3. SuperSport United
20
9
33
Team Logo
4. Stellenbosch FC
19
9
32