‘BIRDS’ BITTER AT TWO ASSISTANT REFEREES

MBABANE – Despite making it through to the Castle Premier Challenge Cup semi-finals, Mbabane Swallows will lodge an official complaint to the Premier League of Swaziland (PLS) over the refereeing standards witnessed during their game against Red Lions on Friday night.

The game was played under the Somhlolo National Stadium floodlights with Swallows winning 2-1. They had three of their goals denied, two of which looked legitimate enough to count, having been scored with headers from corner kicks in a packed 18-area box.

They were close to losing the match as Red Lions matched them pound for pound; making it an end to end match such that they missed two glorious chances in the closing 10 minutes that would have taken Swallows out. The situation has not gone unnoticed by the club whose supporters were already starting to shout expletives to the assistant referees Sifiso Nxumalo and Sifiso Zondo, both seniors in the elite game but had a bad night in the office.

“We took serious note of the refereeing, which as a club, we have decided to write to the relevant authorities and lodge a formal complaint about the concerned parties,” Swallows acting CEO Sibusiso Manana said. He said it was important that they expressed their concerns over the handling of their match on the night as it was only the beginning of the season.

“We’ll be writing to the PLS who we believe will then forward our complaint to the FA so that it is addressed. True, the decisions made are final and we respect that but we were left aggrieved and want it addressed,” Manana said.
He then appealed to the supporters to remain calm as they did on the night even when things did not favour them. He said their club was working on the matter and expected all of them to always adhere to the football spirit of no violence as referees’ decisions were final in the end.

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