FAZ has written FIFA, demanding action on the poor officiating that characterised Zambia’s 2-0 loss to Equatorial Guinea in the Qatar 2022 World Cup third group match at Estadio de Malabo on Thursday evening.
Moroccan referee El Jaafari Noureddine made questionable decisions in the first half, with almost every decision going against Zambia.
Most notable among them was a 26th minute straight red card against midfielder Prince Mumba when Zambia was in ascendance after soaking up early pressure from the home team.
England based striker Patson Daka was a victim as every run he made over the defence was called off.
Daka was again on the receiving end when he beat the last man in defence but was fouled when he was just about to pull the trigger.
Yet, the referee blew for a foul against him and allowed play to continue while the player was left lying in pain and needed medical attention to return to action.
This is a decision that left a handful of home fans inside the stadium condemning it with murmurs.
Captain Lubambo Musonda and midfielder Clatous Chama and Fashion Sakala furiously approached the Moroccan as he threatened to book them all, but the players continued with their protestations.
Coach Beston Chambeshi and his technical bench too could not hide their frustrations.
At half time a furious Andrew Kamanga accompanied by his vice, Justin Mumba and FAZ Lusaka Province chairman Jordan Maliti went down from their VVIP box to approach Cameroonian Match Commissioner Konate Alim Aboubakar.
They questioned why Noureddine should continue officiating the match when his actions were skewed against the Zambian teach.
“These people are embarrassing Africa, there must be fair play in football. Match Commissioner, I am in CAF and you are in CAF, is this fair play that we are watching? Football has to be fair not this,” said Kamanga as Aboubakar calmed him down and walked into the referees’ change room.
On resumption, Zambia picked up the tempo and put pressure on the home side and missed two good chances.
But Equatorial Guinea’s numerical disadvantage took its toll on Zambia, with Sakala and Daka repeatedly being called offside.
“Football is about normal play but what we saw today(Yesterday) is completely outside normal football that we all subscribe to.”
“At halftime we went to see the match commissioner and we played the second half under protest and even after the second half we still went back and filled a formal complaint all because we believe that football should be won fairly but what we witnessed today (yesterday)was nowhere near that.”
Noureddine made another questionable decision leading up to the second goal when he adjudged Benedict Chepeshi to have handled the ball after the defender appeared to have chested the ball away from the attacking striker on the far left.
With the referee producing a yellow card from his pocket and about to show a protesting Chepeshi and the home side making a quick attacking start, Noureddine took the card he had pulled out back in the pocket and started running, allowing play.
An out of position Chepeshi who was waiting to be booked started racing back but the effort was rather too late as the home side scored a second which attracted a lengthy protest from the Zambian players led by Tandi Mwape, Kelvin Mubanga, Dominic Chanda and Sakala, questioning the logic behind the referee’s decision.
With Zambian players’ tempers flaring on the pitch midway through the second half, FAZ communications manager Sydney Mungala who was accredited to be taking pictures from the pitch side, was violently removed by security following instructions from the fourth official, Zourak Adil.
Mungala was pushed as he protested while displaying his accreditation, but the uncompromising home security detail that included police and stadium security personnel pushed and tossed him around, igniting fury from the Zambian delegation led by general secretary Adrian Kashala.
With a minute left to play before the end of the match, a fight ensued as an overzealous security officer from the local FA identified as Inocensio Ncogo punched one of Zambia’s kit managers and a player from the bench as they walked towards the exit gate from the terraces onto the pitch.
Angered by Ncogo’s action, the visiting security team joined into the confrontation and scuffles ensued, with police watching at first until one of the match officials approached the scene and seemingly scared police who moved in to chase their people away.
After a high tempered match ended, Kamanga and his officials remained behind in the stadium to draft a protest to FIFA, detailing the whole match proceedings copied to CAF, which Kashala handed over to Aboubakar who was still locked up in a meeting with referees.
Zambia host Equatorial Guinea on Sunday.
[The Mast]
water under the bridge, AK has failed us time and time again. I have never seen a Zambian team with 3 captains in one match, Never.
I wonder what will be the reaction from FIFA
In a game of football everyone accept proper defeat and good game management.It’s not fair other part feel infringed.
Frustrating officiating indeed. Does FIFA ever think of testing officials for fitness to handle games prior to the match and even during its cause?
Apart from favouritism, drug misuse is stalling the progress of the game in Africa and the whole world
Comment: it is not fair last year match.
Bring kalusha back…kalusha gave us the glory that no other president has done..
Indeed that was poor officiating without any doubt but late us ensure that we take the materials. Our players leaves a lot to be desired, let us select players on merit. Though yesterday selection was much better though one or two people were questionable.
A bad carpenter will always blame his tools. Chambeshi is a bad coach. People had advised him to include experienced players instead of players like Prince Mumba, he never listened
Ba FAZ Zambia has in the past complained and nothing came out. What makes you think FIFA will do anything? According to FIFA the referee’s decision is final whether wrong or right Period
You Kamanga is to blame for appointing Chambeshi a person who is not qualified to coach the Senior National Team
Kamanga you are a mushebwa just like ka Beston Chambeshi River
Mind you Tunisia will not lose any of their games in addition it is only one team will qualify to the final knockout round
Qatar is basically not going to happen. The whole admin and coaching staff need to start the roadmap for the next World Cup and AFCON. Bad officiating or not, this World Cup campaign fell apart when we lost to Tunisia at home
While it’s true that the referee was pathetic we also need to be honest with ourselves, we don’t have a team and technical bench can’t even read the game.We need to go back to the drawing board.Further, FAZ must cast their net wide there are better players out there than some of the players in the current squad without naming individual players.We deserve better
.
Zizo what has Kamanga got to do with bad football officiating? Kalusha is useless who ever thinks of him is very dull like him. Andrew Kamanga has managed football properly since he took over! With your Kalusha Bwalya players where not even being paid winning allowances! Was that good? The Moroccan referee will just be banned from officiating and it’s him who will lose allowances for ever it’s not Zambia! So he’s just punishing himself!
you if kalusha didn’t pay them allowances and we use to win than it better they stop giving them allowances so that we can be winning sorry to say this kamanga he is a loser he has a losing spirit, spirit of loses
Am anxiously watching, to see what action FIFA will take. And if they won’t do anything, then FIFA and it’s committee are all dummies.
Bakamanga has failed us desmally he should just retire like he promised, non the less the officiating was a like watching the final destination movie where anything was possible from the ref
Zambia would have still lost the match if the Ref was Neutral. Poor team selection and disoganisation from FAZ. Can’t do something simple as organise a Visa for players.
This FAZ Executive for me has ran it’s race. TIME FOR CHANGE!! The mess we are in is we lost at home to Tunisia. We have conceded 5 goals in 3 games. Yet the Coach can’t bring in S.Sunzu, K.Chongo and Franklin Musonda in Scotland who are better players. P.Mumba is a talented young man but he is not fully ready for National team. Forget the goal he scored in the Mauritania game We have better players in Europe than him. He is supposed to be learning and playing from the bench. I feel sorry for him. He must be feeling bad that he let the Nation down, the Coach didn’t protect the young man. Body Musonda starting 2 games when he can’t even make the 1st Eleven at his local club in Zambia.
E.Banda. S.Sunzu, S.Mayembe, F.Musaoda, N.Sinkala, K.Kalunga (Portugal), N.Mayembe (Cardiff City), G.Lungu Super Sport… so many players. You build the team around Patson, Fashion and Mwepu with a good supporting cast. Chambeshi won’t bring in these players.
I here some people in FAZ have said Sunzu, Sinkala, Kalaba are Kalusha’s boys so they can’t be called. You need experience to have a formidable team. Not young boys who are not experienced. It was SHOCKING to see Chambeshi start a COSAFA/CHAN line up against Tunisia. WHY!!
Get Chambeshi OUT of the Team. He won’t speak against FAZ. An Expatriate Coach won’t keep quiet when he sees wrong.
Gevinho is still playing for ivory coast…. And othero old players with experience but we ignore ours…. Kamanga tell your coach to call kalaba, nsunzu, kabaso, sakala, mweene and those abroad…. We mix with these young ones then you can come up with a strong starting 11
Don’t blame Kamanga,THe offiating referees was out of football,the best solution was to suspend the referee for a good period time and
declare a rematch in a nuetral Country.
Sibs, you are outdated,tarent move with time ,Prince Munba is good young player,excelent young boy. You can’t blame our players for a corrupt referee,during the time of chitalu Ucar MHSRP,the ref deserved a Punch.
Indeed,we don’t have material players in the current squad. We need some old players to be incorporated into the national team, else no results will ever come. Ba kananga you can’t even feel ashamed. You only record failures. You are there to do the good work for zambians. Every month you get our money. That’s our page. Bring back
experienced players into the team. Stop experiments.
I think var should be provided by fifa in all the wc qualifiers, because referees take power into their hands, hence they up making monopoly/selfish decisions.
@Lubasi How come the local COSAFA Team filed to get even a draw against Tunisia ay home with a Neutral Referee.
I would rather play E.Banda and let Prince Mumba come from the bench. Italy won the Euros with L.Bonucci 34 years and 37 Years. That was the Central defence.
(71 YEARS) You saw how solid that Italian team was if you watched the Euros. France, Germany, Spain, England Belgium all failed where the Italians prevailed
Sunzu is still very good and N.Sinkala iS one of the few Zambians who starts every game in the PSL.
Experience and Youth will win Tournaments or Qualifiers not just goose bumps.
our defence is crippled. Patner Sunzu and T.Mwape you will see that defense fixed
@Lubasi How come the local COSAFA Team failed to get even a draw against Tunisia at home with a Neutral Referee.
I would rather play E.Banda and let Prince Mumba come from the bench. Italy won the Euros with L.Bonucci 34 years and 37 Years. That was the Central defence.
(71 YEARS) You saw how solid that Italian team was if you watched the Euros. France, Germany, Spain, England Belgium all failed where the Italians prevailed
Sunzu is still very good and N.Sinkala iS one of the few Zambians who starts every game in the PSL.
Experience and Youth will win Tournaments or Qualifiers not just goosebumps,
our defence is crippled. Partner Sunzu and T.Mwape you will see that defense fixed