FC Platinum soccer coach Norman Mapeza blasted referee Mhaka Magare after Saturday's match against Chicken Inn ended with a 1-1 tie. He felt cheated when Oscar Bhebhe appeared to suffer a clear foul inside the penalty area from Gamecocks defender Lincoln Mangaira, yet no penalty kick was awarded. Mapeza pointed out his frustration about going through 76 straight games across two full seasons without receiving a single penalty call from any referee. He wondered aloud whether his attackers simply avoided entering the penalty box enough.
Despite his complaints about the missed call, Mapeza accepted the final score as fair. The match remained scoreless until the 66th minute when Brian Muza put Chicken Inn ahead with the first goal. FC Platinum fought back later during the game when Thando Ngwenya scored off a rebound, evening the score at 1-1. Neither team managed to break the deadlock before the final whistle blew. The referee's decision became a talking point because it might have completely changed the outcome.
The controversial non-call happened when Mangaira appeared to foul Bhebhe inside the penalty area. Many spectators expected the referee to point to the spot, which would have given FC Platinum a chance to score from twelve yards away. Instead, play continued as if nothing had happened. Mapeza expressed disbelief at what he considered an obvious error by the match official. He emphasized how rare it seemed for his team to never receive penalty calls across such a long stretch of games.
Both teams left the field with a single point each from the draw. Chicken Inn almost secured all three points thanks to Muza's second-half strike, but Ngwenya's equalizer ensured FC Platinum avoided defeat. The result kept both teams near their current positions in the league standings. Mapeza continued highlighting what he viewed as unfair treatment from officials, suggesting his players deserved better recognition when fouled inside the penalty area during matches.
Despite his complaints about the missed call, Mapeza accepted the final score as fair. The match remained scoreless until the 66th minute when Brian Muza put Chicken Inn ahead with the first goal. FC Platinum fought back later during the game when Thando Ngwenya scored off a rebound, evening the score at 1-1. Neither team managed to break the deadlock before the final whistle blew. The referee's decision became a talking point because it might have completely changed the outcome.
The controversial non-call happened when Mangaira appeared to foul Bhebhe inside the penalty area. Many spectators expected the referee to point to the spot, which would have given FC Platinum a chance to score from twelve yards away. Instead, play continued as if nothing had happened. Mapeza expressed disbelief at what he considered an obvious error by the match official. He emphasized how rare it seemed for his team to never receive penalty calls across such a long stretch of games.
Both teams left the field with a single point each from the draw. Chicken Inn almost secured all three points thanks to Muza's second-half strike, but Ngwenya's equalizer ensured FC Platinum avoided defeat. The result kept both teams near their current positions in the league standings. Mapeza continued highlighting what he viewed as unfair treatment from officials, suggesting his players deserved better recognition when fouled inside the penalty area during matches.
