ZIFA were crying foul last night, accusing Botswana
referee Joshua Bondo of deliberately working against
the interests of the Warriors after a shocking
refereeing performance by the match official
overshadowed this 2017 COSAFA Castle Cup showdown at
the Royal Bafokeng Stadium.
Bondo had a nightmarish performance, twice denying the
Warriors clear-cut penalties that could have changed
the complexion of the game, and sent Twitter buzzing as
a number of Zimbabweans, and other neutrals, took to
social media to vent their anger on the referee for his
questionable show.
Even the official press release from the organisers of
the tournament focused on Bondo's controversial show.
"Controversial refereeing calls overshadowed the top-
of-the-table clash in group B at the COSAFA Cup as
Zimbabwe and Madagascar played out a goalless draw on
Wednesday at the Royal Bafokeng Sports Palace,'' a
release from the organisers read.
"Zimbabwe had two legitimate-looking appeals in the
final five minutes waved away by referee Joshua Bondo to
leave both sides still tied at the top of the standings
with four points each.'' ZIFA vice-president Omega
Sibanda said they would protest against the way Bondo
handled the match.
"That was just unacceptable and as an Association we
will protest against such questionable ways of deciding
matches because the referee should offer both chances a
fair opportunity to try and win the game and this
referee appeared to have an agenda against us,'' said
Sibanda. Warriors assistant coach Bongani Mafu blamed
complacency by his players and controversial
officiating from Bondo as Zimbabwe were left to fight
another day for a place in the COSAFA Castle Cup
quarter-finals.
Mafu, who stood in for his boss Sunday Chidzambwa in
the post-match interview, felt the referee had in the
end played a big part in spoiling the game. "I think it
was a gruelling match which the two teams had a go at
one another and had crunch tackles flying that needed
the referee's control,'' said Mafu. "We got behind
their lines and we had opportunities that didn't come
our way which we thought should have been given.''
Bondo, one of the top referees from Southern Africa at
the moment who was also on the panel of match officials
at the African Cup of Nations finals in Gabon, just
seemed to be getting his calls wrong when it mattered
most.
The Zimbabwe bench went up in arms with Bondo in the
83rd minute when substitute Raphael Manuvire was
clipped in the box, but the referee ignored the calls.
Three minutes later, Bondo once again drew the ire of
Chidzambwa and his men and had the few spectators in
the stadium whistling at him after he waved away the
second penalty appeal.
Ovidy Karuru got to the end of a through ball, came
face-to-face with the goalkeeper and as the Zimbabwe
captain weaved past Jean Randrianasolo, the Madagascar
goalkeeper lunged at him, sending the AmaZulu man
tumbling.
The whole stadium looked at Bondo for a decision, but
he turned it away. Mafu reckoned that "on any other day
that decision should have gone our way''.
"From where we sat the player (Karuru) was on his feet
and had the ball and the goalkeeper took him off and on
any other day it should have gone our way,'' Mafu said.
Madagascar were also not amused by the referee two
minutes into time added on when they broke clear just
inside the Warriors half and had expected the match
official to play the advantage despite Gerald Takwara
having brought down Tobisoa Sandratriniaina along the
way.
The referee instead halted play and flashed yellow in
the face of the FC Platinum midfielder. But that could
not be compared with the way he came short, when it
mattered most, in the Indian Ocean islanders penalty
area. ''We are not happy with the draw in a game we
came out to win but we live to fight another day
(against Seychelles),'' said Mafu.
"I think our tracking today was also not so good and we
didn't keep our shape and play according to plan.
Instead we played how the opponents were doing. "I
think if you win the first game by four goals it becomes
a bit difficult to pick the same level of desire from
the players.
"It took us time to get into the game and when we did
it we put more pressure on them. "But in the end the
players' desire to get a win saw us hurrying our efforts
a bit hence we introduced Manuvire,'' Mafu said.
The Warriors got their first crack at goal when Karuru
sent Blessing Majarira through and the Herentals man,
who got the nod ahead of Knox Mutizwa but struggled on
the night, shot into the side netting from an angle.
Madagascar coach Auguste Raux whose side had some good
build-ups but lacked the killer punch, came out happy
with the draw. "I expected it to be a really tough game
and we prepared hard for it. I congratulate my players
for fighting hard even though there were few
opportunities for us,'' Raux said.
Teams:
Zimbabwe: George Chigova, Ocean Mushure, Jameson
Mukombwe (Bruce Homora 46th minute), Eric Chipeta,
Jimmy Tigere, Gerald Takwara, Liberty Chakoroma, Talent
Chawapiwa (Raphael Manuvire 79th min), Ovidy Karuru,
Blessing Majarira (Knox Mutizwa 47th min), Leeroy
Mavunga
Madagascar: Jean Randrianasolo, Alain Rafelambolasa,
Tantely Randrianiaina, Andoniaina Andrianavalona, Ando
Manoelantsoa, Sarivahy Vombola (Fanomezana Claudel 65th
min), Andriamirado Andrianarimanana, Rinjala
Raherinaivo (Rakotoharisoa Baggio 87th min), Jean
Claude Marobe, Joatombo Bourahim (Ranaivoson
Ndrantoharilala 75th min), Tobisoa Sandratriniana
BY Petros Kausiyo
