Poor officiating taints Munhumutapa Challenge Cup

The maiden Munhumutapa Challenge Cup was supposed to be a celebration of football. Instead, it’s been hijacked by poor officiating, and former Dynamos FC striker Rodreck Mutuma has had enough, taking aim at referee Mercy Maimbo while Kwekwe United coach Tendai Chikuni was unhappy with referee Thabani Ruzario.

Norton Big Boys, a Division 2 team spurred on by the likes of Evans Gwekwerere, Edward Sadomba, Tafadzwa Rusike, Oscar Machapa, Takesure Chinyama and Valentine Ndaba, lost 3-1 in a contentious match against FC Hunters at Ngoni Stadium.

MUTUMA FUMES AT NGONI STADIUM

Norton Big Boys coach Rodrick Mutuma. Picture by Fanzone

But coach Mutuma went berserk, criticizing refereeing errors which he believes decided the game. Mutuma said FC Hunters were protected throughout the match, helping them sail through to the inaugural competition’s Round of 16.

“Hatina kudyiwa bhora, tadyiwa nema referee. There was a clear penalty. Evans adonhedzwa mu box,” Mutuma fumed in the post-match interview.[Gwekwerere]

“I’m not asking for a favour but we have to be protected because our opponents today were not playing football but war, but the referee kept quiet.”

At Chahwanda Stadium, Hardrock FC beat Kwekwe United 1-0 in a tense encounter. But Kwekwe United coach Tendai Chikuni also felt hard done by referee Thabani Ruzario, arguably one of the best in Zimbabwe, who was assigned to the match. Chikuni questioned the amount of added time.

“We lost, we conceded, but was the game fair? We played for so long but only one minute of additional time. The game was not fair, but it is what it is,” Chikuni said in the post-match interview.

The loss saw Kwekwe United bow out of the competition, while Hardrock FC advanced to the Round of 16 of the ZIFA Munhumutapa Challenge Cup.

𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠𝗦 𝗧𝗛𝗔𝗧 𝗔𝗥𝗘 𝗧𝗛𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗚𝗛 𝗧𝗢 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗠𝗨𝗡𝗛𝗨𝗠𝗨𝗧𝗔𝗣𝗔 𝗖𝗛𝗔𝗟𝗘𝗡𝗚𝗘 𝗖𝗨𝗣 𝗥𝗢𝗨𝗡𝗗 𝗢𝗙 𝟭𝟲 𝗦𝗢 𝗙𝗔𝗥:

• Blackrock FC
• CAPS United FC
• FC Platinum FC
• Ngezi Platinum FC
• Manica Diamonds FC
• FC Hunters
• Blanket Mine FC
• Triangle FC
• Hardrock FC
• Hwange FC
• Bulawayo Chiefs FC
• Herentals College FC
• Jordan FC

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