Bafana fans are furious over a no-call late in a loss. South African supporters feel robbed after a late handball appeal was denied in their AFCON defeat to ten-man Egypt. In the eighty-seventh minute, a shot by Teboho Mokoena hit the arm of Egyptian defender Yasser Ibrahim as he slid. After a lengthy VAR review, Burundian referee Pacifique Ndabihawenimana ruled no penalty.
The decision hinges on a specific handball rule. The laws state it is not an offense if a player falls and the ball strikes a supporting arm on the ground, provided the arm is between the body and the surface. Replays showed Ibrahim's arm was planted naturally during his slide to brace his fall. Officials determined his arm was in that permissible supporting position, meaning the incident did not meet the criteria for a handball offense under the current guidelines. This technical interpretation has done little to calm the angry reaction from South African fans.
The decision hinges on a specific handball rule. The laws state it is not an offense if a player falls and the ball strikes a supporting arm on the ground, provided the arm is between the body and the surface. Replays showed Ibrahim's arm was planted naturally during his slide to brace his fall. Officials determined his arm was in that permissible supporting position, meaning the incident did not meet the criteria for a handball offense under the current guidelines. This technical interpretation has done little to calm the angry reaction from South African fans.
