By SANDRA MWILA At Nkoloma –
Zesco 1-0 Arrows
RED Arrows coach Honour Janza yesterday went into a fit of rage and slammed at referee Leonard Akapelwa for ‘poor officiating, saying it showed incompetence.
In a post-match interview after seeing his side fall to Zesco United in a Week-17 rescheduled fixture at Nkoloma, Janza said the referee was stupid.
This was just part of the drama this match had and sparked after Zesco scored a 72nd minute goal through Jesse Were which was the last stroll the Red Arrows fans could take and started throwing objects at the referee.
The fans had earlier complained about several questionable decisions the referee made throughout the match which they claimed favoured the Ndola side.
With the objects spawned all over the pitch, referee Akapelwa picked up some objects and shockingly took them to Janza on the technical bench.
This riled Janza and led to a bitter altercation which ended up in the coach calling the referee stupid and was sent to the stands.
“The referee is an amateur and is incompetent.He doesn’t even know where to take a complaint.Why not complain to the fourth officials? Why come to the bench which was a mockery and I called him stupid and I repeat he is stupid,” Janza said.
He described the defeat as painful especially that the result was decided by the referee.
“We work so hard everyday and clubs put in a lot just for a referee to spoil the game,match officials are destroying our beautiful game,” a visibly annoyed Janza said.
And Zesco assistant coach Tenant Chembo said it was a sense of relief to win the game after three games.
“It feels good to win the game after going through a rough patch,the win has come at the right time,” Chembo said.
The win jumped Zesco two places up to fourth place with 52 points while Arrows remain on 11th place with 41 points.
This game looked headed for a barren draw until Were struck in the 72nd minute with then ball going in off the upright off a Jackson Mwanzacross.
Before the goal Arrows could have gotten an early lead through Bruce Musakanya in the fifth minute who headed wide from a Festus Mbewe cross.
Two minutes later Arrows Lubinda Mundia also tried his luck but his diving header inches off the mark after being set up by Jimmy Chisenga.
Mwanza responded for Zesco with shot from inside the box after he evaded a clutter of defenders on 26 minutes but shot wide and repeated the wide shot in the 41st minute