AN otherwise pulsating Castle Lager Premier Soccer League match between Chicken Inn and Harare City at Luveve Stadium yesterday was spoiled by some questionable decisions by referee Hardly Ndazi.
BY FORTUNE MBELE CHICKEN INN… (1) 1 HARARE CITY… (0) 1
Chicken Inn scored as early as the third minute through Obriel Chirinda from an Obadiah Tarumbwa assist, but Harare City mentor Mark Harrison felt the scorer was in an offside position.
As if that was not enough, Harare City’s appeal for a penalty five minutes into the second half after defender Moses Jackson appeared to have handled inside the box was shot down by Ndazi, a decision that did not go down well with the Sunshine City Boys’ technical bench and the players.
Harrison, however, refused to criticise the match officials for fear of reprisals from the PSL.
Ndazi then gave Harare City a dubious penalty in the 77th minute adjudging that Jackson had fouled Protasho Kabwe inside the box and Chicken Inn coach Joey Antipas was equally not amused.
From the spot kick Moses Muchenje beat goalkeeper Elvis Chipezeze to equalise for Harare City.
Antipas expressed his displeasure with the officiating.
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“I was a bit shocked about it. It was an aerial ball, which was won and Kuda Musharu and Jackson went up for the ball and the next thing it was a penalty. It was a strange decision but that is part of the game; there is nothing we can do,” Antipas said.
Harrison said: “We got done with that goal. You have heard of Ronnie Biggs’ Great Train Robbery? We got robbed today but anyway we should have won the game by three or four goals in the end. We totally dominated the proceedings and we deserved the point. But I don’t want to get involved, you know there are fines going around,” Harrison said.
Meanwhile, in another match played yesterday ZPC Kariba recorded their first home win of the season after edging Yadah FC 1-0 at Nyamhunga Stadium.
Sylvester Appiah netted the only strike of the tie in the 71st minute.
Teams:
Chicken Inn: E Chipezeze, P Bernard, X Ndlovu, G Goddard, M Jackson, S Munawa, G Majika, C Matawu (D Nyandoro 87’), O Chirinda (A Banana 82’), I Mucheneka, O Tarumbwa (W Kamudyariwa 69’)
Harare City: R Harrison, R Uchena, T Chimwemwe, B Chayambuka, M Nyenye, T Samanja, M Muchenje, T Tumba (M Vengesai 69’), K Musharu, P Kabwe, M Gaki (W Manondo 90+2’).
