LIMPOPO – Tzaneen United FC held on to their place near the top of the ABC Motsepe Stream-A League after a tense and highly emotional 2-1 win over Baduzah Celtics from Phalaborwa in a match played at Malamulele Stadium on Saturday.

Tzaneen United began the match favourably, taking the lead just ten minutes into the first half. A well-taken corner kick found its way into the box, where one of their strikers headed it into the net, giving Tzaneen United a 1-0 lead.

However, with the early advantage secured, Tzaneen United appeared to have shifted into defensive mode, allowing Baduzah Celtics to dominate ball possession as they searched for an equaliser.

As the pressure mounted, one of the Tzaneen United defenders touched the ball with his hand while inside the box as he attempted to deflect it away from the posts.

This is a mistake that could have resulted in a penalty for Baduzah Celtics, but the referee again dismissed it, leaving Baduzah Celtics visibly frustrated. Despite their efforts, the halftime whistle blew with Tzaneen United still leading 1-0.

The second half saw more questionable referee decisions. While pushing for another goal, Tzaneen United’s strikers knocked down a Baduzah Celtics defender inside the box while contesting a ball, but the referee again allowed play to continue.

Tzaneen United capitalised on the moment, dribbling past the goalkeeper to score their second goal, deepening Baduzah Celtics’ frustrations.

Refusing to give up, Baduzah Celtics pushed forward and eventually pulled one goal back, reducing the score level to 2-1. Their momentum grew, and soon after, they scored what looked like a clean equaliser, sparking huge celebrations in the grandstand, until the assistant referee raised the flag for offside.

The goal was therefore disallowed, and that’s when tempers truly flared up, with Baduzah supporters erupting in anger and threatening to storm the field to deal with the referee themselves.

The chaos forced the match to pause for nearly 10 minutes as Baduzah Celtics argued their case with the match commissioner, insisting the goal was legitimate. But they were reminded that the referee’s decision was final.

Fearing vengeance from angry supporters, the referee and his assistant ran to the exit gate immediately after the match ended, in an attempt to avoid fans who had vowed to beat them after the match. The match commissioner had to step in and escort the officials away from the crowd.

Meanwhile, the victory leaves Tzaneen United tied at 12 points with Mpheni Home Defenders, who also won their match 2-1 against Nkowankowa Continental on the same day.

Despite the win, Tzaneen United may not rest easy yet, as the points from this controversial fixture remain uncertain.

Baduzah Celtics are expected to lodge a formal protest with the league’s disciplinary committee, and the outcome could overturn the result or cost Tzaneen United valuable points. For now, they hold their position, but what happens next will depend on the committee’s ruling on one of the season’s most contentious matches.