OPINION: Plk City-La Masia referee takes shameful officiating to epic proportions
It’s a beautiful Sunday morning, and we’ve just woken up in Modimolle, Limpopo, where our publication was hosting the fifth edition of the FARPost Cup.
My colleague, Tokelo Mokhesi, and I scan through the Motsepe Foundation Championship fixtures for the day to see if we can watch any game before we drive back to Johannesburg.
Our initial interest is the Baroka-Magesi clash at the Baroka Village in Lebowakgomo.
However, when we notice Polokwane City and La Masia are locking horns at the Old Peter Mokaba Stadium, we opt for that fixture because it’s closer to where we are.
We then take off for Polokwane after breakfast at Modi Mall, which is precisely a distance of 150km.
LA MASIA ANALYST STOPPED FROM RECORDING
After arriving in Polokwane and having lunch, we head to the stadium.
Everything looks normal until we learn that Kenneth Moyo, the La Masia video analyst, has been stopped from recording the proceedings and forced out of the stadium.
It makes no sense that a visiting club would be barred from recording their game for analysis purposes.
After the game, Moyo explains that a Polokwane City official, accompanied by two security officers, told him they weren’t allowed to record.
The coach of La Masia, Delano Hendricks, later explains that a City official had told them they don’t allow the recording of the games a day before the match.
The unnamed official apparently said SuperSport TV would provide them with the video footage. However, La Masia claims that a SuperSport cameraman was also barred from covering the game.
Anyway, the game progresses, and the visitors get the first goal towards the end of the first half. Yussuf Jappie got the goal.
The second half, which resumed after an over 30-minute delay because of the rains, was marred with pathetic refereeing decisions.
LIKE A ROGUE OPERATION
It convinced me that the Motsepe Foundation Championship must be treated like a rogue operation unworthy of any football person’s trust.
I’ve not seen such consistent and persistent bias in one football match in my entire existence.
Sies, these referees are disgracing a beautiful game. I’m left convinced that some are paid bribes to influence the outcome of games.
How does one explain the countless mistakes? In many cases so obvious they’re favouring one team.
Clearly, pure unadulterated corrupt greed has consumed the beautiful game. It’s too ridiculous how much the men in the middle can mess up a flowing game.
Two calls, in particular, seemed to swing the momentum in City’s favour. The first came midway through the first half when City were trailing 1-0.
A long ball was flighted into the La Masia 18-yard box. A Polokwane City player dragged La Masia defender Liam De Kock. Both players fell after De Kock had won the ball and the referee shockingly pointed to the spot.
Here’s the problem with this call. De Kock was pulled down in full view of the referee. If anything, the foul should have been given to La Masia, not the hosts.
POLOKWANE CITY AWARDED PENALTY
Interestingly, on the far right from where we were sitting, we could hear a group of reserve players from City shouting, “Ewa Chauke ewa’ [Fall down Chauke].
A few moments later, they said: ‘ha uwa moo hae ke penalty’ [when you fall here at home, it becomes a penalty].
The more egregious part of the penalty decision is that De Kock won the ball cleanly. That should have nullified the call. City converted the penalty, levelling terms.
I noted a good five clear offsides in the second half, which the referee did not flag against City. Hendricks told FARPost he counted seven.
At the other end of the pitch, a La Masia forward beat the offside trap and with just the goalkeeper to beat, he was pulled.
This, again, was all in full view of the referee.
Guess what? There was no call. The game continued as if nothing had happened. City then got their second goal off a corner kick. Granted, it was a beautiful headed-in goal.
After the game, there were ugly scenes as angry La Masia officials, and players did not hide their disapproval of how the referee handled the game.
In fact, the whistle-man had to be escorted out of the stadium by security.
La Masia were baying for his blood, together with his assistants.
City officials and the coach Duncan Lechesa refused to speak to FARPost, saying “tempers were too high” and they weren’t comfortable giving interviews.
And while my colleague, Tokelo, was capturing the ugly incidents with his phone, a security officer confronted him trying to stop him from recording.
Corruption in local football is so positively endemic that it makes a sad mockery of any efforts to grow the beautiful game.