Ref had right to end match

CHIEF referees' instructor Gladmore Muzambi says a referee can end a match regardless of where the ball is. His remarks yesterday came following skirmishes between Highlanders and Chicken Inn players and officials after referee Nkosikhona Moyo blew to end the match, just as Highlanders' goalkeeper Aerial Sibanda was being beaten.

Chicken Inn thought they had won the match 2-1 right at the death.

"I was not at the stadium, but if that is what happened, then technically the referee was right. If it's time up, it's time up, it doesn't matter where the ball is at that time. The only time when play can be allowed to continue is for the purposes of taking a penalty, but again even then, when the goalkeeper punches the ball back into play, the match ends, there is no rebound," said Muzambi.

He said many people tend to put emotions into such decisions. "The act is usually not so palatable, but that is the law. If it's time up, it's time up," he said.