Chinhoyi Stars were left fuming after what they believe was a clear refereeing blunder which denied them a crucial late winner in their Northern Region Soccer League (NRSL) encounter against log leaders N’ombeyaora over the weekend.
With the match deadlocked at 2-2 in the dying moments, Stars forward Ezekiel Chikuwe appeared to have scored the decisive goal after beating N’ombeyaora goalkeeper Dean Togara.
Togara, who had a forgettable outing, scooped the ball out of the net after it had seemingly crossed the line, but Chinhoyi players were already celebrating what they were convinced was a goal. The referee waved play on, dismissing the appeals.
Stars head coach Vincent Nzombe did not hide his frustration, questioning the competence and impartiality of the officiating team.
“We have more questions than answers regarding how today’s officials handled the game. It’s only fair that the better team on the day wins, but that was denied to us,” Nzombe said in a post-match interview.
The controversial incident capped off a string of questionable decisions that, according to Nzombe, had already gone against his relegation-threatened side earlier in the match. The referee had to be escorted off the pitch by police after full-time as irate Chinhoyi officials and fans expressed their anger.
Chinhoyi had shown resilience to claw back into the match after trailing 2-1, equalising through a well-taken free kick with just five minutes remaining. The disallowed goal could have earned them a rare but vital win in their fight against relegation.
The contentious officiating has sparked renewed calls from stakeholders for the Zimbabwe Football Association to urgently address the quality and consistency of refereeing in local football.
Allegations of biased decisions and erratic officiating continue to plague the league, threatening the credibility of the competition.
Despite the controversy, the result sees N’ombeyaora maintain their slender one-point lead at the top of the table, with 73 points from 32 matches. Title rivals Agama FC failed to capitalise, playing out a goalless draw away to PAM FC at Muriel Mine Stadium. Agama remained second with 72 points from the same number of games.
Chinhoyi Stars, meanwhile, find themselves in deeper trouble, slipping to second from bottom on the table with survival hopes rapidly fading.
NRSL Weekend Results:
Shamva Mine 2–1 Zambezi G&C
MWOS U19 0–0 Black Mambas
Harare City 0–0 FC Oden
Cranborne Bullets 1–1 Chinhoyi Rangers
Golden Eagles 2–1 Chegutu Pirates
Karoi United 1–0 Trojan Stars
Ngezi U19 2–1 Banket United
Black Rhinos 1–0 Ali Sundowns
