…wants a replay…
Mighty Mukuru Wanderers head coach Mark Harrison has described the decision by Godfrey Nkhakananga to award Silver Strikers a winning goal during the first leg of the Airtel Top 8 Cup at Bingu National Stadium on Saturday afternoon as ‘disgusting’.
The match was destined for a 1-1 draw up until the 92nd minute when Stain Davie scored a goal to put his side in the lead in a controversial way after Nkhakananga had already blown his whistle for a freekick against the visitors who thought the play had stopped for a set piece.
But Davie capitalized and went on to score the goal, which was given by the referee despite his first call for a freekick.
This did not go well with Wanderers players who protested and abandoned the match, triggering massive protests from their fans who started removing seats from the stadium and throwing them into the pitch.
Reacting to the development, Harrison had no kind words for the referee, describing the incident as very unfortunate.
“We didn’t lose the match. It was 1-1. We were cheated by the referee. I have never said this in my life at a press conference. Forty-seven years I have been in this game, but I have never seen a decision like that. He is blown the whistle for a freekick, our players stop playing, and the opposition strikes the ball, and he gives the goal, come on, where in this world can you see this happening?
“If that’s the state of Malawian football, we are in trouble, big trouble. And you know what, it happens every week, every game, there are bad decisions and you would think it is a mistake and you sort of give them a benefit of a doubt, but after today, I don’t know.
“That was shocking. How could he do that? The whole stadium heard the whistle. Why do you think we reacted that way? We wouldn’t react like that if there was no whistle blown. No way would we react like that. Everybody in the stadium heard the whistle, and then he allowed the guy to strike and score. Come on. It’s disgusting.
“If there will be no inquiry by the Football Association of Malawi and the Referees Association, there is a problem. I feel sorry for Airtel because they sponsored this tournament and thus shouldn’t have happened because it was hell of a good game until he messed up,” he angrily told reporters.
On the performances of the two teams, Briton admitted that his charges were second best in the first half but picked up in the final half, hence scoring the equalizer.
“First half, Silver was excellent, second half, I feel we were a better team and 1-1 would have been an even score at the end of the day but somebody decided to do that, very disgusting,” he rattled.
He then asked for a replay, saying the two teams should meet again before the second leg.
“Yes, the game should be replayed, absolutely, we need a replay.
“As I have just said, it was a hell of a good game. Silver were excellent in the first half, we didn’t match them, we came stronger in the second half after we made few changes, we leveled and we were a little bit better than the first half and I feel 1-1 would have been a better result but then you see him messing up the game, killing the whole game.
“Actually, he makes a mockery of football in this country. It’s disgusting. Never in my life. I have worked all over the world, guys, and I have never seen what I have just witnessed today. It’s very shocking. Our players gave it all in the field of play for 90 minutes. We have worked all week for this match, and someone decides to do this? No way, come on, man,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, FAM says itwill release final results once the official report from the referee is received.
“The match between Silver Strikers and Mighty Mukuru Wanderers was abandoned in the added minutes. We will give you the final result once we receive full reports from the match officials,” read the statement.
