Bullets complain to CAF

 FCB Nyasa Bullets have lodged a complaint to the Confederation of African Football (CAF) against officiation in their CAF Champions League preliminary round second leg against Red Arrows of Zambia in Lusaka on Saturday.

Malawi’s flag carriers lost the match 2-0 at National Heroes Stadium to bow out 3-2 on aggregate, having won the first leg 2-1 at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe.In an interview from the Zambian capital yesterday, Bullets acting chief executive officer Albert Chigoga said they felt the officiating personnel, led by referee Elmabrouk Muhammad from Libya, failed to take a firm line during the match.

He cited what he described as a dubious penalty that was awarded to the hosts, leading to the first goal, as an example.

Said Chigoga: “We lodged a complaint to the match commissioner [Erastus Shilunga from Namibia] after the match and we’ll follow it up with a formal one. Whether they [CAF] will act on it is another thing, but we just want to register our concerns against officiation.

“Apart from that dubious penalty, we were also denied a clear penalty. Had officiation been fair, we would not have lost that game.

“The officiation was an embarrassment for African football.” Bullets coach Kallisto Pasuwa also said he was not amused with the officiation.

In a post-match interview, the Zimbabwean gaffer said: “I thought we need fair play. Red Arrows were playing good attacking football in the first half, but we contained them.

“There were some fouls that could have been given to our advantage, but unfortunately they weren’t. It is unfortunate when something else decides [the outcome of a] match which doesn’t go well with our African football.”

On the actual match, the former Zimbabwe National Team and Dynamos FC coach said their plan to contain Arrows in the defending third, and catch them on the break, appeared to be on course until Arrows were awarded the penalty.

The penalty was awarded in the 65th minute when Bullets defender Nickson Nyasulu was adjudged to have fouled Ricky Banda and up stepped Saddam Yusuf Phiri to convert the spot-kick.

Paul Katema doubled the Zambian Defence Force side’s lead in the 85th minute with a tap-in.