Orlando Pirates were moments away from facing the Premier Soccer League wrath following a last minute change to their team sheet against Bidvest Wits in Saturday afternoon’s Absa Premiership clash, a mistake coach Micho Sredojevic reduced to a simple “administrative” blunder.
Article 16.3.3 of the PSL rules states clearly that “no player may be added to the team sheet who was not listed on the team sheet that was submitted.”
The initial line-up and substitute bench announced by the club on social media and given to the match commissioner, broadcasters and journalists had two players – goalkeeper Siyabonga Mpontshane and right back Abbubaker Mobara – that were seen sitting in the stands while the rest were warming up before kick-off.
Jackson Mabokgwane and Thabo Matlaba were the other two players involved in the mix-up, with Siya sources informing the crew that the duo had been in camp and included in the matchday squad, not Mpontshane and Mobara. According to another source, Pirates did try to change the team sheet to reflect the Mabokgwane and Matlaba change, but it is believed one of they were warned they would be breaking the rules.
Had this gone unnoticed, similarly to when Mamelodi Sundowns recalled Wayne Arendse from the stands to replace an injured Thapelo Morena, the Buccaneers would have faced sanction from the PSL.
Wits could have also lodged a complaint.
Asked for an explanation following Pirates’ 1-0 victory, Sredojevic suggested the error had nothing to do with the technical team.
“It is an administrative issue and I cannot comment,” the coach told the media. The Siya crew then asked Floyd Mbele, who is a Pirates administrator, for an explanation. He said the club was still gathering the facts and as such he, too, could not make any further statements.
To summarise, with Mobara and Mpontshane named on the official team sheet it would have been a breach of the rules should Matlaba and Mabokgwane have been on the field. However, luckily for Pirates, that was not the case and they should avoid any sort of punishment.
Sundowns have since been found guilty by the league and a sanction, likely to be a fine or docked points, is still pending.