Controversy mars Chicken Inn match

24 Jul, 2016 - 00:07 0 Views

The Sunday News

FC Platinum ……………………………………………… (1) 0

Chicken Inn …………………………………………………… 0

MIDLANDS-based referee Thomas Massar hogged the limelight for all the wrong reasons at the Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match at White City Stadium yesterday which saw FC Platinum beat a 10-men Chicken Inn to go top of the log standings.

Massar who drew the ire of many among the home side’s faithfuls through his glaring inept handling of the match, an affair that was billed a high profile pre-match had to be protected by police officers as irate fans bayed for his blood at the end of the match.

In what was the last straw that broke the camel’s back, Massar denied the home side a penalty in the 75th minute. FC Platinum defender Elvis Moyo handled the ball inside the box in a bid to clear, assistant referee Oscar Bumhe who was better positioned to make an informed call signalled for a penalty, but Massar thought otherwise insisting instead that the offence occurred outside the box.

This did not go down well with the home side’s players who remonstrated with the referee to no avail. Earlier, Massar had waved play on after another handling offence in the box by FC Platinum defender Gift Bello.

Chicken Inn were reduced to 10 men barely three minutes into the second half when Massar gave midfielder Thabani Goredema his marching orders for a second bookable offence, and rightly so after he had pulled FC Platinum striker Marshall Mudehwe back as he went for the kill.

Zifa acting president Omega Sibanda, in attendance alongside Zifa southern region president Musa Mandaza, was seemingly not happy with the disturbances.

“This (bad match officiating) has to come to an end. We don’t want scenarios where match officials decide the result of a game. As Zifa we will descend hard on such match officials so that they to do the right job. This was a high profile match which needed an experienced referee, such bad refereeing does not promote the growth of the game,’’ said Sibanda.

Away from the madness the first half proved promising for the home side who had two clear cut chances to break the deadlock. But midfielder Pride Tafirenyika the home side let down, miscued a glorious chance 13 minutes into the game. He got the second bite of the cherry 10 minutes later thanks to a brilliant lay on by industrious Obadiah Tarumbwa, however, a timid effort at goal was smoothered out for a corner by an alert Petros Mhari in goals for FC Platinum.

However, a cautious FC Platinum slowly but surely carved an opening on the left flank where the impressive twins Elvis and Kevin Moyo were behind their impressive build-ups. They subsequently took the lead when midfielder Winston Mhango got the match winner for Kugona Kunenge Kudada two minutes from the break, a victory that saw them go top of the log with 33 points from 15 games.

FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza said he was happy for collecting maximum points but that they were on top was not his greatest concern. His counterpart Rahman Gumbo refused to talk to the Press after the match as he disappeared into his team’s dressing room.

Teams

Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, B Passmore, D Lunga, T Hadebe (P Madhazi, 90th min), T Goredema (red card 48mins), C Semakweri (I Lawe, 58th min), T Kutinyu, P Tafirenyika (B Nyahunzwi, 55 mins), M Demera, O Tarumbwa.

FC Platinum: P Mhari, I Nekati, G Bello, E Moyo, K Moyo, Winston Mhango, R Chinyegetere, G Takwara (N Masuku, 85 mins), T Rukanda (82nd mins), M Mudehwe.

 

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