Sports / Soccer
Dynamos blame referees following their elimination
12 Mar 2014 at 08:51hrs | Views
Vanquished Harare giants, Dynamos once again pointed an accusing finger at the referees following their elimination from the Orange Caf Champions League by Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) outfit, AS Vita Club last Sunday.
The 19-time Zimbabwean champions fell to a 1-0 defeat in Kinshasa, after conceding a controversial penalty towards the end of the first half, while a number of other refereeing decisions, according to the Glamour Boys, went against them.
Incidentally, Dembare have registered more Caf Champions League appearances than any other team in the local top flight, but it is their failure to break into the mini-league phase since the 2010 season, which has stirred debate over the calibre of the current team whose excuse for failure, since that fateful 2011 campaign under the tutelage of Lloyd Mutasa, has been biased officiating.
On Tuesday, Dynamos team manager Richard Chihoro, who has witnessed the ups and downs at the Harare giants over the years, attributed the club's recent failures to biased officiating which the reigning Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions have endured each time they venture into the jungles of the Caf Champions League.
"We have been victims of poor officiating by referees of late and that has been one of the major hindrances in our Champions League campaign," said Chihoro.
"Looking back at the game we played over the weekend, we were clearly robbed of a possible progression to the next round and this is exactly what has been happening to us over the years and there seems to be no solution to the issue of biased officiating.
"We have always played good football away from home, but the referees have undone our efforts.
"In Kinshasa for instance, the penalty against us was a total robbery. To make matters worse, As Vita had five defenders in their backline as the assistant referee always came to their aid. So most of the times we could not break the barrier of their last man who was playing outside the field."
As he poured his heart out after the Glamour Boys' return from their unsuccessful mission in Kinshasa, Chihoro admitted that the blunt Dembare strikeforce also complicated matters for the Harare giants ahead of their away fixtures.
"In as much as we would say the referees have not been fair to us especially in away assignments, the blame should also be put on us as we fail to kill the game as contest when we are at home and the problem has been a recurring one over the years," he said.
"Our blunt strikeforce makes things difficult for us. We always tell these guys that it is better we finish off our opponents at home, but what has been happening in recent times is a case which needs to be addressed if we are to achieve continental success again."
Following their return from the DRC, Dynamos now shift their attention to the Bob90 Super Cup final against Highlanders at the weekend.
"Our focus is now on the local scene and we want to win everything on offer, starting with the Bob90 Super Cup," Chihoro said.
The 19-time Zimbabwean champions fell to a 1-0 defeat in Kinshasa, after conceding a controversial penalty towards the end of the first half, while a number of other refereeing decisions, according to the Glamour Boys, went against them.
Incidentally, Dembare have registered more Caf Champions League appearances than any other team in the local top flight, but it is their failure to break into the mini-league phase since the 2010 season, which has stirred debate over the calibre of the current team whose excuse for failure, since that fateful 2011 campaign under the tutelage of Lloyd Mutasa, has been biased officiating.
On Tuesday, Dynamos team manager Richard Chihoro, who has witnessed the ups and downs at the Harare giants over the years, attributed the club's recent failures to biased officiating which the reigning Premier Soccer League (PSL) champions have endured each time they venture into the jungles of the Caf Champions League.
"We have been victims of poor officiating by referees of late and that has been one of the major hindrances in our Champions League campaign," said Chihoro.
"Looking back at the game we played over the weekend, we were clearly robbed of a possible progression to the next round and this is exactly what has been happening to us over the years and there seems to be no solution to the issue of biased officiating.
"We have always played good football away from home, but the referees have undone our efforts.
"In Kinshasa for instance, the penalty against us was a total robbery. To make matters worse, As Vita had five defenders in their backline as the assistant referee always came to their aid. So most of the times we could not break the barrier of their last man who was playing outside the field."
As he poured his heart out after the Glamour Boys' return from their unsuccessful mission in Kinshasa, Chihoro admitted that the blunt Dembare strikeforce also complicated matters for the Harare giants ahead of their away fixtures.
"In as much as we would say the referees have not been fair to us especially in away assignments, the blame should also be put on us as we fail to kill the game as contest when we are at home and the problem has been a recurring one over the years," he said.
"Our blunt strikeforce makes things difficult for us. We always tell these guys that it is better we finish off our opponents at home, but what has been happening in recent times is a case which needs to be addressed if we are to achieve continental success again."
Following their return from the DRC, Dynamos now shift their attention to the Bob90 Super Cup final against Highlanders at the weekend.
"Our focus is now on the local scene and we want to win everything on offer, starting with the Bob90 Super Cup," Chihoro said.
Source - zimmail
