The Northern Region Division One league is embroiled in controversy as accusations of referee favoritism have sparked outrage among teams competing for promotion to the Premier Soccer League.
The dispute came to a boiling point yesterday during a critical match between title contenders Scottland and Mwos at the packed Ngoni Stadium in Norton.
Scottland, leading 1-0 in the tense encounter, saw their advantage wiped out in the dying minutes after a controversial decision by the referee. Despite a clear foul on the visiting goalkeeper, the referee awarded a corner kick, from which Mwos equalized with a powerful header.
The final whistle blew shortly afterward, igniting chaos on the field.
Mwos players and officials celebrated wildly, while Scottland officials, incensed by the officiating, sought explanations from the match officials. Scottland owner Scott Sakupwanya also tried to confront the referees but was intercepted by Mwos coach Lloyd Mutasa, leading to a heated exchange of words.
Sakupwanya’s frustration was further fueled by an incident moments before the equalizer when Mutasa sent a ball boy to perform rituals in front of the Scottland goal.
“This fraud is unacceptable. We spend so much money funding football only for referees to decide matches like this. This is clear fraud,” Sakupwanya was heard shouting.
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He continued, “I will even pull out of the league because it’s not fair. Look at the thousands of fans who came all the way from Mabvuku and other parts of Harare and they are treated to this. I’ll take up the matter with the league leadership.”
The controversy surrounding refereeing is not new. Just two weeks ago, pandemonium erupted at Heart Stadium in Harare when Mwos faced Black Rhinos, and the army team was denied a clear penalty. The incident led to a physical confrontation, with coach Mutasa being slapped by a fan.
Football critics are warning that if refereeing standards continue to decline in the Northern Region, there could be serious consequences. “The match yesterday was good but was spoiled by the referee towards the end, and this could have resulted in serious chaos because of the tension and the huge crowd that attended,” said a senior football official who attended the match. “Scottland hired more than 10 buses from Mabvuku, and there were easily 8,000 fans or more crammed into that small stadium. The referee did well throughout but came terribly short in the last few minutes. Maybe he wanted to appease the huge crowd.”
As the race for promotion intensifies, Black Rhinos lead the standings with 46 points from 22 games. Mwos and Harare City are close behind, tied with 45 points each, while Scottland sits in fourth place with 43 points.
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