Blundering ref expelled
IN keeping with their tradition of zero tolerance to bad officiating, the COSAFA referees committee have once again flexed their muscles and wielded the axe on Angolan Tania Marisa Duarte and her colleague Bernadettar Kwimbira of Malawi from the ongoing Women’s Championships here.
Duarte, who was the centre referee and assistant Kwimbira were in the eye of the storm on Thursday after the semi-final showdown between Zambia and South Africa following their massive blunder during the kicks from the spot which swung the pendulum in Banyana Banyana’s favour and helped decide the match.
The match had ended 3-3 in regulation time.
Banyana Banyana had rallied from behind to come from 0-3 down and force the game into penalties with a late 13-minute blitz.
The South Africans, however, also benefitted in a big way from the mistake that Duarte, in consultation with her Malawian assistant, made when they failed to administer the kicks from the spot.
In a scene almost reminiscent to the horror decision by Swaziland referee Thulani Sibandze and his assistant Petros Mbingo that helped decide the CHAN qualifier between Zimbabwe and Namibia at the National Sports Stadium on July 23, Duarte was found wanting during decision time.
The Angolan correctly spotted an infringement by South Africa’s substitute goalkeeper Andile Dhlamini and ordered a retake.
A review by the referees assessors showed Duarte had been correct to initially signal for an infringement committed by Dhlamini as Mukwasa was about to take her penalty.
Dhlamini strayed off her line and advanced towards Mukwasa before the kick and changed her call after the Zambian had blazed over after a quick consultation with her assistant Kwimbira.
The committee headed by former Zimbabwe Referee of the Year and FIFA instructor Felix Tangawarima also came hard on blundering Botswana official Joshua Bondo for the diabolical manner in which he handled the Warriors’ COSAFA Castle Cup group encounter against Madagascar in June this year.
And on Thursday night Tangawarima’s sent Kwimbira - who officiated the 2016 Rio Olympic Games and also has four consecutive Women’s African Cup of Nations appearances under her belt - home.
Tangawarima, the COSAFA referee’s committee manager, could not be immediately reached for comment, as he is understood to have flown to Somalia for a FIFA assignment.
Tournament technical instructor and assessor Sabelo Maphosa declined to comment.
“At the end of every match a review of the referees’ performance is carried out and where referees make mistakes, which change the result, the referees are sent home,’’ sources said.
‘‘Additional sanctions can be brought on them as was the case with the Swaziland referees who failed to administer the taking of kicks from the penalty mark between Zimbabwe and Namibia who were suspended.
“In this instance the first assistant by virtue of being more senior was directing the referee from the line.’’
Now, after fighting their way from behind and also riding their luck in the shootout, albeit, with a helping hand of blundering referees, Banyana Banyana will now face hosts Zimbabwe in a repeat of the 2011 final.
The Mighty Warriors might have squeezed through to the semi-finals as the best-placed runners-up but Sithethelelwe “Kwinji15’’ Sibanda’s charges were full value for their place in the final with a demolition of hopefuls Kenya in the other semi-final.
It has also been dubbed the Dream Final.