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Head coach Hugo Broos was highly critical of the officiating during South Africa's 1-0 loss to Egypt

South Africa head coach Hugo Broos has strongly criticised the officiating decisions that went against his side following their narrow 1–0 defeat to Egypt at AFCON 2025.

The Belgian tactician claimed the match in Agadir was decided by refereeing calls rather than football, insisting even Mohamed Salah was shocked by the penalty that settled the contest.
Broos questions Salah penalty decision

The decisive moment came in the first half when Salah won a penalty after minimal contact from Bafana Bafana right-back Khuliso Mudau.

The Liverpool forward converted with a panenka to give Egypt the lead, but Broos was left furious by the decision.

“First half, Egypt was the better team. Second half, we were the better team. The game was decided by two decisions — two decisions that were not right,” Broos told reporters after the match.

He revealed a post-match exchange with the Egyptian captain that only deepened his frustration. “The first one was ridiculous. Even Mo Salah said to me after the game that he was surprised that that was a penalty,” Broos said.
Late handball controversy adds to frustration

Broos also pointed to a second key incident late in the game when South Africa appealed for a penalty after Yasser Ibrahim blocked a Teboho Mokoena shot with his arm inside the box.

Despite a VAR review, referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana and his team waved away the appeals, ruling the arm was in a natural supporting position.

“The second was a real penalty, because the arm was extended from the body and the ball hit his arm,” Broos argued. “But then suddenly, there is a rule of the supporting arm. What is the supporting arm?”

South Africa dominated the second half, enjoying 62% possession and registering 16 shots compared to Egypt’s seven, while also playing against 10 men after Mohamed Hany’s red card just before half-time. However, they could not break down a resilient Pharaohs defence.

https://www.pulsesports.ng/afcon-2025/story/even-salah-was-surprised-south-africa-coach-broos-slams-controversial-penalty-calls-in-egypt-loss-2025122622504887716

And what stopped your team from Equalising when they were reduced to ten men

The way the referees are giving North Africans underserved penalties in this AFCON ehn, they're the favourites to win the tournament.

insidelife22:
And what stopped your team from Equalising when they were reduced to ten men

Help me ask him o. With all their ball possession and shots, nothing to show for it. A more clinical team would have buried that 10 man Egypt team even with the underserved penalty

Oh thought they said it is only Nigerians that cry like a baby instead of showing workings in the pitch??

What stopped you guys from equalizing?? 😂 😂

South Africa has started complaining already...

Thank God the match was not against Nigeria, it would have turned to national war by now.


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The Arabs are at home. Any small mistake u go concede pk against them

dominique:
The way the referees are giving North Africans underserved penalties in this AFCON ehn, they're the favourites to win the tournament.



Help me ask him o. With all their ball possession and shots, nothing to show for it. A more clinical team would have buried that 10 man Egypt team even with the underserved penalty

Penalties resulting from hand ball in the 18 yard box is at the discretion of the ref. Most times defenders are more pardoned than other players when it happens, or when the hand is in its natural position downward.

MEGAWATCH:
South Africa has started complaining already...

Thank God the match was not against Nigeria, it would have turned to national war by now.


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ARE U AFRAID OF WAR? ... WE FIGHT THE DIGITAL WAR WITH ANYBODY.. WHETHER SA OR ANY COUNTRY

Seun tell him to find a seat amd watch AFCON while his side finds its way home

Complaint after whistle.
Something I watched myself, he is calling for a penalty

Excuses-filled old man

Shame...

For the 2nd penalty call...
The rule states, when your hand is in a natural position & the ball hits your hand, it's not a penalty.
When you are falling, your hand naturally goes down to support your fall.

So it's not a penalty. My take.

However, some of the penalties given were harsh, eg the one against Nigeria.

Anything that makes SA to cry gives me joy promax

A penalty all day

Stop throwing arms around when defending. That's what you get when your players are not exposed to what goes around beyond psl

Anywhere outside 18, its a free kick

dominique:
The way the referees are giving North Africans underserved penalties in this AFCON ehn, they're the favourites to win the tournament.



Help me ask him o. With all their ball possession and shots, nothing to show for it. A more clinical team would have buried that 10 man Egypt team even with the underserved penalty

I support anything against Banana Banana

The north Africans are desperate to win this afcon. The same thing happened yesterday in Nigeria's match vs Tunisia.



Some of their trick.

1. They fake injury a lot.
2. They try to intimidate other countries not from north African because it is hosted by a north African country.
3.They feel only north African should win it.
4. They can fake a penalty inside the 18 yard box.
5. They can go as well to intimate and pressure the referee to do their bidding with the support of their fans.
6. They are easily intimidated by west African countries because of their physical strength on the pitch.
7. They believe they deserve special treatment because they are white meanwhile they are just Africans that is white. If you know.
8. If they feel their opponent is too strong, they can try to claim a forced red card by pretence.


Though I am happy, Egypt won south Africa. 😀


I will stop here for now....

Ordinary 1.5 una no fit pull....



Una dey mentt......

Una never see anything. Minimal contact is contact. Natural arm position is never penalized. You lost fair and square even with Egypt playing one man down for half the duration of the match, yeye.
You are quoting Salah as if that justifies your loss. I watched that match, and can conclude that you guys didn't deserve to earn a point from that game.

dominique:
The way the referees are giving North Africans underserved penalties in this AFCON ehn, they're the favourites to win the tournament.



Help me ask him o. With all their ball possession and shots, nothing to show for it. A more clinical team would have buried that 10 man Egypt team even with the underserved penalty

Arsenal Fan
Small small dey talk o.😏

When Chelsea were down to 10men, we fit Bury them?😕

insidelife22:
And what stopped your team from Equalising when they were reduced to ten men

In football, a very good side playing with 10 men are difficult to play. They play with lots of caution knowing they are one man down.

Ndabihawenimana is the name of the referee.
Even seun can never ask for 40 characters. The name alone is forty-something.

AFCON wants North Africa to win the trophy by all means.

Prenonjebose:
Una never see anything. Minimal contact is contact. Natural arm position is never penalized. You lost fair and square even with Egypt playing one man down for half the duration of the match, yeye.
You are quoting Salah as if that justifies your loss. I watched that match, and can conclude that you guys didn't deserve to earn a point from that game.

What about the Nigerian incident yesterday? The arm wasn't in a natural position?

How about when they were given a red card? lol

Pls I sell tablets

They really need to stop dishing out penalty kicks any time the ball touches a players arms. It takes away the beauty of the game and opens it to exploitation.

In a physical game like football, it's literally unavoidable. Unless there was obvious intent to obstruct the ball from advancing with hands, I say just let it slide.

The whole thing is becoming a serious joke

0Brien:
What about the Nigerian incident yesterday? The arm wasn't in a natural position?

That yesterday own, they don't want our defender to get arm at all, e supposed detached the arm ni?

seunlayi:
That yesterday own, they don't want our defender to get arm at all, e supposed detached the arm ni?

It's like every player will just tie their arms to their bodies with rope when going to the pitch now

GanagiBitrus:
The rule states, when your hand is in a natural position & the ball hits your hand, it's not a penalty.
When you are falling, your hand naturally goes down to support your fall.

So it's not a penalty. My take.

However, some of the penalties given were harsh, eg the one against Nigeria.

The penalty was not as a result of handball but a pat on Salah's face by the south African defender inside the box 18

Even the VAR and ref decision for handball against Nigeria yesterday was a sad joke...!

African referees should do better.

Vinnie2000:
Arsenal Fan
Small small dey talk o.😏

When Chelsea were down to 10men, we fit Bury them?😕

We equalise abi we no equalise?

Xenophobia FC coach should go and rest, dem dun beat u be sa dem dun beat u

0Brien:
What about the Nigerian incident yesterday? The arm wasn't in a natural position?

Of course, it was. As a matter of fact, his arm was in entanglement with that of the Tunisian for balance, when the ball dropped on it.

Lamasta:
The penalty was not as a result of handball but a pat on Salah's face by the south African defender inside the box 18

OK. Thanks for pointing that out, but the coach equally complained about the penalty that was denied S/Africa. That, I think was not a penalty.

Yes, the penalty awarded Egypt was soft, but S/Africa had the entire 2nd half playing against 10-man Egypt, to rescue the situation, which they failed.

Anywhere else on the pitch, that is a free kick.

If the referree had seen it real time, a yellow card should have followed.

Hugo broos is overating his average team