Champions Silver Strikers have lodged a complaint to Super League of Malawi (Sulom) and Football Association of Malawi (FAM) against officiation during their TNM Super League match against FCB Nyasa Bullets on Sunday.
The Bankers lost the match 2-1 at Kamuzu Stadium in Blantyre and they are attributing the result to the referees’ failure “to take a firm line”.
Among other grounds, the Bankers claim that there was an “insubstantial contact” between their goalkeeper George Chikooka and Bullets attacker Chikumbutso Salima, which led to referee Mwayi Msungama awarding the People’s Team a penalty which striker Hassan Kajoke converted for the winning goal.
The Lilongwe-based outfit also claims that they were denied a clear goal “when the ball clearly crossed the line”.
The Reserve Bank of Malawi-sponsored side further claims that the assistant referee on the western side verbally insulted their coach.
They also question the pattern of Msungama’s assignment to their matches, claiming that he has taken charge of three-quarters of the matches they have played in Blantyre this season.
“Last season, he [Msungama] also gave out a dubious red card to [Misheck] Selemani when we were playing Mafco,” reads one of the grounds in the communication signed by club chief executive officer Patrick Chimimba.
Silver say it is their prayer that Sulom and FAM will take action against the match officials.
Reacting to the complaint, Bullets acting chief executive officer Albert Chigoga said: “At Bullets we have a policy of not questioning the decisions of match officials..
“We will wait anxiously to see of the referee’s decisions can be overturned if that is their wish.”
A video clip of the goal the Bankers claim to have crossed the line went viral on social media, creating a debate on whether it should have stood.
Posting on his Facebook page alongside a photo of the purported disallowed goal, one of Silver’s directors George Chiusiwa said: “Malawi football…total drama! Mpira udalephereka ndithu.”
Sulom general secretary Wllliams Banda had not responded to our questionnaire at press time yesterday.
Bullets top the 16-team top-flight with 46 points from 19 matches, four points above their second-placed rivals Mighty Wanderers, who have a game in hand.
On the other hand, Silver are third with 36 points from 18 matches, 10 points behind Bullets.
