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South African football has been fired up as it seems to be growing by leaps and bounds as evidenced by the qualification of three of its teams for the semi-finals in two Caf tournaments. “This is an indicator of massive growth of our football, which is showing in the Bafana Bafana squad which has also technically qualified for the next Caf’s two-yearly Afcon continental showpiece. We are fired up by these developments,” remarked one soccer scribe and football fundi on news of the qualification of Mamelodi Sundowns and Orlando Pirates into the semis of Caf Champions League and Stellenbosch FC into the semis of the Caf Confederations Cup tournaments. Though controversially so, Sundowns qualified via a hotly disputed goal that was scored by the Tunisian side Esperance in the second leg of the two-legged quarterfinals clash. The ‘Yellow Machine’ of Sundowns, which has dominated both domestic and continental football for over a decade, scored the single goal of the match between the sides two weeks back and drew 0-0 in second leg away to Esperance, handing Masandawana a berth in the semis. But this was not without controversy as the VAR ruled offside what appeared to be a legitimate goal by Esperance. The referee had given the goal, but VAR ruled it offside and the VAR decision stood with much disappointment and frustration from the Tunisians. If it had been allowed to stand, it would meant the teams were on level terms and would either have gone into extra time and if the deadlock persisted, they would have taken the penalty shootout route to decide who advances into the semis. Although feeling hard done by the VAR decision, the Tunisians took the ruling with a tongue-in-chick and moved on without the spectator violence that characterised the Loftus Versfeld Stadium in the first leg as the few Tunisian supporters went on the rampage. There was spectator violence as well at the Orlando Stadium as the Soweto giants of the Mighty Buccaneers advanced to the semis following the 0-0 scoreline of the second leg after the Sea Robbers won the first encounter in Algeria with a 1-0 scoreline. Stellenbosch, on the other hand, advanced to the semis of the Caf Confederation Cup following the recording of a 1-0 victory over Egyptian side Zamalek in Cairo. That was after the two sides had drawn the first leg 0-0 in Cape Town.