If the player Yacob tackled had slid in, then it could have impacted on the player's leg and CY probably would have seen red. He won the ball, but the fact is, there is an 'if', so the ref could have given a red card for recklessness.
After all, penalties are often given for recklessness rather than intent, as most of the time the tackling player is just a split second late. That's all it takes for a leg breaker.