Referee Fumbles, Coach Grumbles
Facing off against Township Rollers at the National Stadium in Gaborone this past weekend, the Tlokweng outfit endured a rollercoaster of emotions. It wasn’t just a match; it was a full-blown tension drama . While the scoreboard favored the opposition, the real theatrics unfolded when Security Systems’ Tebogo Kopelang received a red card in the 30th minute for a tackle that could rival a charging bull.
With only 22 points, Security Systems found themselves in a decent 5th place in the Botswana Premier League standings. A seething Botlhasitse didn’t sugarcoat anything in his intense post match interview – this loss seemed to have hit harder than an unexpected punch to the gut.
“We could have done better, and the referee could have done a better job managing the game. Yes, our player fouled a Township Rollers player, but he should have given us a free kick when we were fouled earlier. If he had done that, our player wouldn’t have made the foul that led to the red card. He should have been paying more attention to the game, and been more consistent in his decision-making,” he said.
“Not only did we get the red card, but we also felt that Township Rollers’ goal was offside. It’s really important for games to be managed fairly, and we feel like we weren’t treated fairly. We feel like the referee favoured the bigger team, and that’s not okay. We want to see more consistent and unbiased officiating in the future,” he added.
He however added that he was pleased with how his team performed, despite the setback of the red card. He said that his team managed to regroup and play as a united front.
“We performed well in the second half, and dominated play before we got the red card, and we created many chances. However, our decision-making in the final third was lacking, which cost us the game. Despite the loss, we can learn from this match and make improvements to our team,” he stated.
Security Systems have lost their third game in a row. “I think that sometimes we lose because the refereeing is not fair. For example, in the game against Jwaneng Galaxy, we should have gotten a penalty, but we didn’t, and we lost the game 1-0. Even against Township Rollers, we were not treated fairly. But we will stay positive and keep our heads up for the next game,” he said.