The President of the Confederation of African Football (CAF), Patrice Motsepe, yesterday referenced a controversial goal scored by Young Africans SC (Yanga) in their match against Mamelodi Sundowns while announcing reforms aimed at improving transparency and trust in refereeing, VAR operations, and CAF’s decision-making bodies.
Motsepe mentioned the Tanzanian champions during his remarks in Cairo, Egypt, at a special press conference where he outlined planned amendments to CAF’s constitution and regulations.
The incident he referred to was Yanga’s disallowed goal in 2024 during the second leg of the CAF Champions League quarterfinal against Mamelodi Sundowns. The match ended in a goalless draw, and Yanga were eliminated 3-2 on penalties.
“If you watched on TV when Yanga played Mamelodi, that was a legitimate goal, and I have said that many times. There have been many efforts to address such issues, and that is exactly what we are doing now,” said Motsepe.
“CAF is currently implementing major reforms in its constitution and regulations that will increase confidence in CAF referees, VAR operators, match commissioners, as well as the Disciplinary and Appeals Boards. These improvements will also ensure that unacceptable incidents seen during AFCON Morocco 2025 do not happen again,” he added.
The goal in question was scored by Stephane Aziz Ki, sparking widespread debate across Africa. Ultimately, Yanga missed the chance to make history by reaching the semifinals of the CAF Champions League.
