Chegutu Pirates Coach Alleges Photographer Influenced Referee In Abandoned Match vs. Dynamos
The match between Chegutu Pirates versus Dynamos on Thursday, 25 April, became the second to be abandoned in the current Castle Lager Premier Soccer League season due to crowd trouble at the Baobab Stadium in Mhondoro.
Chegutu Pirates fans hurled objects onto the pitch during stoppage time, protesting a DeMbare goal by Donald Dzvinya arguing the ball did not cross the line.
However, videos suggested that their Chegutu Pirates defender was behind the goal line when he headed the ball in a desperate attempt to clear their lines.
Match commissioner Brighton Mudzamiri confirmed the match was called off because of the refusal by Chegutu Pirates to restart the game after DeMbare had scored the winner in the 97th minute. Said Mudzamiri:
The match could not go ahead as you all saw that the other team refused to restart after conceding a goal. There was nothing more the referees could do. So it’s abandoned.
Chegutu Pirates coach Emmanuel Day Gutu claimed that the assistant referee, who advised the referee that the ball had crossed the goalline, was influenced to make his decision by a photographer. He said (via NewsDay):
It’s a pity the game had to be decided this way. But we gave a good account of ourselves, they had their moments and we had our moments.
About the goal, I am not sure. The assistant referee was better positioned. When we asked the referee, he too was not sure whether the ball had crossed the line.
The ball was in the air, so it was very difficult to see whether it crossed the line [or not]. The referee wasn’t sure and went and consulted the assistant referee, but the assistant referee’s decision was influenced by the photographer. So we are not sure and even myself I am not sure whether it crossed the line.
I am happy with the performance. First half we were jittery, but second half we were a bit more composed. We now know how to play with bigger clubs.
We learnt our lesson against Highlanders, it’s a work in progress, but I am happy with the performance.
The Glamour Boys are likely to win the match in the boardroom as video evidence appears to be in their favour.
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