Nkana football club coach, Beston Chambeshi has expressed disappointment with what he termed as ‘poor officiating’ that characterised the week 6 Zambian Super League match between Nchanga Rangers and Nkana FC in Chongola on Saturday afternoon.
Chambeshi said he was disappointed with how the referee, Audrey Nkole, handled the game especially that that he holds him in high esteem as one of the best referees in the country.
” From the word go, I was asking myself, what was happening today with Nkole because I trust him so much, the young man is a very good referee.
“I can’t complain, he has always been good but today I don’t understand what happened, he give a lot of Yellow cards to my players and I knew that a Red card was inevitable,” he said.
Chambeshi returned to the touchline yesterday for the Kitwe side after missing the last two games against Green Buffaloes and Chambishe due to illness.
Nkana finished the match with ten men after Stephen Chulu was sent off for a second offence in the 76th minute.
Ugly scenes later characterised the aftermath of the match as the referee, Nkole needed Police escort to leave the pitch after a number of Nkana players, fans and some members of the technical bench pounced on him in protest for what they called “bias officiating.”
The incident left one Nkana player, Patrick Ngondwe injured after a clash by fans from the two clubs according to a statement by Nkana FC.
Ronald Chibwe scored a last minute equaliser in additional time to level the scores 1-1 and cancel Alex Ng’onga’s 67th minute goal from the spot kick when it almost looked like the Kalampa we’re headed for an away win.
The Nkana players who performed multiple delaying tactics in the additional minute were not happy that the match did not end in the 94th minute instead went as far as 98th minute which saw Rangers equalize, seconds before the final whistle.
