MUKWIMA CHILALA writes
@SunZambian
NATIONAL division one league pacesetters Kafue Celtic maintained their stay at the summit of the second tier competition after beating Sinazongwe United 3-1 on Saturday.
The visiting Sinazongwe side started the match on a high tempo with early breakdown that saw them take the lead in the first of the game played at the OYDC.
Celtic settled into the match soon after the break and took back control of the game and was eventually rewarded with a goal from Francisco Mwepu.
The second half saw Celtic launching scathing attacks that resulted in two late goals from Albert Kangwanda and Francisco Mwepu ensured the home side maximize on home ground advantage.
Meanwhile Mpulungu Harbour FC was the talking point as Zesco Malaiti Rangers beat them nil-one.
According to match report by the Eden University league, media crew , the game raised a wave of tempers especially from the home fans who got incensed by the referee’s decisions.
The visiting Mpulungu fans begun roughing up the referee but quick police intervention averted the situation, as they escorted him to the changing rooms amid insults .
Despite the fan trouble the result stood as it ended 1-0 in favor of Malàiti Rangers.
And Rangers coach Wilson Mwale expressed disappointment at the manner in which match officials handled the game despite his team having been victors.
Mwale said that he believed in winning convincingly and the league could not afford having ‘inexperienced’ referees as it was detrimental to the game.
“We won the game yes, but I am extremely disappointed in the manner we won this tight encounter. To be honest, this is the worst referee I have ever seen in my entire football life,” Mwale said.
Mpulungu coach Moses Mwambazi said that the conduct of the referees was very strange.
Mwambazi said that the poor decisions by the match officials killed his team’s spirit to the ground.
“We are coming very far, we put in a lot of hard work, then you have an official who seems ill qualified and give you a heavy slap in your face just like that. It’s very painful, very painful indeed,
“This has never happened in my life of football, even the body language of our colleagues you could see that it also affected them, in the end they got a free gift,” Mwambazi said.
Mwambazi challenged FAZ to act on the poor refereeing in the national league as it was damaging the standard of the game.
And in an effort to save costs Mpulungu would not be going directly home, but divert to Ndola to play Gomes on Wednesday in a requested Week 7 brought forward match.
The other national division one league week 5 results are as follows :
Kafue Celtic 3-1 Sinazongwe United
Police College 0- 1 Kitwe United
Zesco Shockers 1-0 Chindwin Sentries
National Assembly 0-0 Mumbwa Medics
Gomes 1-0 Chambishi
Inden 2-0 F.C Muza
Young Green Eagle 2 -1 Nchanga Rangers.
