MTN8 final controversy: Junior Khanye questions Abongile Tom’s 2 penalty decisions

• iDiski TV analyst Junior Khanye voiced strong doubts about referee Abongile Tom's penalty decisions in the MTN8 final
• Mamelodi Sundowns beat Orlando Pirates in Durban on Saturday, with both goals coming from the penalty spot
• Khanye argued that neither incident was a genuine foul, suggesting the referee may have been correcting an earlier mistake

SOUTH AFRICA — iDiski TV analyst Junior Khanye has questioned referee Abongile Tom's two penalty decisions in the MTN8 final between Orlando Pirates and Mamelodi Sundowns in Durban on Saturday, 10 October 2026.

Sundowns claimed the Wafa Wafa Cup after Teboho Mokoena opened the scoring and Iqraam Rayners converted a stoppage-time penalty to seal a 2-0 victory, ending Pirates' dominance in the competition.

Khanye's verdict on the first penalty

The first spot kick was awarded in the 60th minute after Mokoena appeared to bring down Yanela Mbuthuma inside the box. Ghampani Lungu stepped up but Ronwen Williams denied him, keeping Sundowns ahead at that stage.

Khanye was unconvinced that the contact warranted the decision.

"The Orlando Pirates penalty and Skwish's — they were not penalties according to me," he said on iDiski TV.

"The first one was soft for me. I mean the ball was played; there was a bit of a stretch from Tebza but not that much of a push. Even if the incident happened outside the box, I wouldn't have given a foul."

Second penalty also under scrutiny

Junior Khanye has questioned Abongile Tom’s decision to award Mamelodi Sundowns a late penalty in their 2-0 MTN8 final victory over Orlando Pirates on Saturday, 10 October 2026.

Iqraam Rayners converted after Thapelo Mokobodi’s challenge on Siyanda Ndlovu, but Khanye believed the contact was insufficient to warrant a spot kick.

“I don't understand why it was a penalty because Ndlovu lost the ball he wasn't obstructed; he lost the ball,” Khanye said on iDiski TV, as quoted by iDiski Times.

He argued that Ndlovu had lost possession before the contact occurred and questioned whether the incident justified a penalty.

Khanye also suggested Tom’s second decision may have been influenced by the earlier penalty awarded to Pirates. Ghampani Lungu missed that opportunity after Ronwen Williams saved his spot kick.

“I think the referee was trying to rectify his blunder from the first penalty,” Khanye said.

Sundowns went on to lift the trophy, ending Pirates’ reign as MTN8 champions, while the two penalty decisions remained a talking point after the final.

Mamelodi Sundowns’ R142 million prize-money haul adds to MTN8 final celebrations

Briefly News previously reported that Mamelodi Sundowns had accumulated approximately R142 million in prize money in 2026 after winning three major competitions.

Their latest success came with a 2-0 victory over Orlando Pirates in the MTN8 final on 10 October. The Brazilians’ reported earnings include rewards from the CAF Champions League, the FIFA African-Asian-Pacific Cup and the MTN8.

Source: Briefly News

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